


Altering Affection

by Darkprism



Series: Monoshizukanohi [6]
Category: Naruto
Genre: Anal Sex, Bondage, Boss/Subordinate dynamic (Lee works for Gai), Crack Fic, Dom/sub, Exhibitionism, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Masturbation, Mild Angst, Oral Sex, Rimming, Sasuke being a pain, Sex Toys, Sweetness, Voyeurism, coming-out-of-the-closet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-08 18:02:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 45,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11651805
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Darkprism/pseuds/Darkprism
Summary: When Lee discovers that he's in love with his sensei, he wants nothing more than to confess and live happily ever after. but Gai-sensei is stubborn and seemingly oblivious to Lee's affections, making Lee resort to somewhat... drastic measures.





	1. Chapter 1

Lee stood on the sidewalk staring at the entrance to Green Dojo and swallowed thickly. The sun was high in the sky, beaming down and baking the concrete, which explained the sweat forming between his shoulder blades. It wasn’t nerves – it was hot out here.

Right.

It’s just the dojo, Lee said to himself, feeling no need to be formal in the confines of his own brain while trying to give himself an ass kicking. I’ve been here thousands of times – I practically lived here during my rehab. Just. Go. Inside.

Lee’s feet did not obey. Sighing, he shifted his weight from one foot to the other, the old and familiar ache in his left leg serving as a grounding force. The car crash that claimed the lives of his parents and crushed the left half of Lee’s body turned out to be equal parts curse and blessing. Lee mourned his family every day, but his uncle was kind and supportive. And when Lee’s doctor recommended martial arts to help him through parts of Lee’s rehab, his uncle took him to Green Dojo.

Gai-sensei was brilliant in his skill, practically psychic in his understanding, and amazingly enthusiastic. The accident happened nearly 13 years ago, and in that time Gai-sensei had helped Lee through surgeries, pain, anger, and, finally, to recovery. When the healing ended, the friendship began, and Lee felt fortunate indeed to have someone who cared so much and so deeply in his life.

Lee shakily exhaled, the sheer force of emotion difficult to contain. He was here for a reason – an honorable and noble reason – and that alone should be enough to encourage his feet to move. In fact, if Gai-sensei knew Lee stood frozen by nerves and doubt when he had a job to do…well, there’d be 1,000 laps around the block in Lee’s future for sure.

With Gai-sensei’s disapproving look firmly fixed in his mind, Lee drew himself up and finally went inside. The familiar wall of awards and photos to Lee’s right was comforting, as were the benches to the left where students could wait for their class. A counter ran along the back of the small entrance building, and a door leading out into the property behind the street front was to the left of the counter. The lights were on, but no one manned this room on Sundays. There was a bell, however, that would summon Gai-sensei or one of his assistants in short order. Lee never used the bell. Gai gave Lee a key years ago when it became obvious that Lee’s training didn’t stop when all the other students left for the day.

Lee shakily removed his keys from his backpack and berated himself again for nerves using his sensei’s strongest reproaches. Being this nervous was downright un-youthful. Frowning, he unlocked the door that led out of the entry building to the grounds beyond and then locked the door back behind him. 

Sunlight fell in patches and blocks through the varied and carefully maintained foliage of Gai’s garden. A covered path led from the entrance building to the much larger dojo proper. Another covered path led from the dojo itself to a small, light-green building that served as Gai’s home. A Zen garden – complete with new patterns, Lee noticed – stood between the entry building and Gai’s house. A storage shed – also painted green – was to Lee’s far right. A twelve-foot privacy fence enclosed the entire property. 

It was an utterly beautiful place. Lee could hear the soft thud of the bamboo fountain in the water feature situated under the shade of several large and healthy trees. The summer had been kind so far to the flowers and bushes that Gai-sensei carefully tended, and their sweet smell permeated the air. Lee helped as often as he could – installing benches or watering plants or doing anything Gai-sensei asked him to do. The garden meant a lot to his mentor.

And Lee would do anything for his beloved sensei. 

The thought and the emotion behind it pained Lee and the enormity of his plans crashed down on him again. Yes, his intentions were good, his reasons for being here noble…

But his methods?

Lee gulped, the sound audible in the pleasant silence of the garden.

Lee hoped beyond hope that he would get to see this garden again – get to see his sensei again. He hoped the man who understood Lee more than anyone else alive would also understand Lee’s desperation and why he had to do this. If anyone could – it was Gai-sensei. 

Movement in the dojo distracted Lee from his dark thoughts. Gai-sensei spent Sunday afternoons training and preparing the dojo for Monday’s classes. Lee could catch his sensei alone today; all the assistants got Sunday off.

Negativity will do no good, Lee told himself. I am here, I have a plan, and if it all falls apart I can only hope Sensei will forgive me. This is it – my last attempt. I cannot fail.

“I will not fail,” Lee said. A robin chirped back in reply. Lee took that as a good sign.

Practically marching in his resolve, Lee walked the length of the covered path and slid the door to the dojo aside. The entire back wall of the training building was composed of windows, letting natural light shine throughout the interior. As soon as he was inside, Lee heard the telltale sounds of Gai-sensei training. Lee shut the door, took three steps into the large, open room, and stopped in his tracks.

Gai flew through the air in a move that tempted fate and taunted gravity and landed a solid kick to a bag that was held in place by rope extending from floor to ceiling. Without pause, Gai spun and landed another thundering kick with the opposite leg, the bag swaying and shuddering. He finished his set with a flurry of right and left hooks that surely would crack the skull of any opponent. 

Then, in a display of acrobatics that left Lee’s knees a little weak, Gai-sensei easily flipped himself into a back handspring and made to reset and do it all again.

It didn’t matter that Lee had seen this particular set hundreds of times. It didn’t matter that Lee could perform the same series of moves with much the same power and skill. What mattered was that Gai-sensei was a work of art when he trained – fluid, powerful, and graceful. 

Also – shirtless and sweating and utterly masculine.

Oh, God, Lee thought. This is never going to work.

“Ah, my star pupil!” Gai smiled at Lee, open and easy, and walked toward him casually unwrapping and then rewrapping his left hand. 

Lee watched the muscles move as his sensei approached, saw the size of his hands, measured the power in his stride. Lee’s backpack felt enormously heavy in that moment – the weight of a plan that could go horribly awry dragging down his right shoulder.

To cover both his nerves and his scowl at those nerves, Lee bowed deeply at the waist. “Gai-sensei,” he said. He let the pack fall to the floor.

“I am sorry to disturb you,” Lee said, still bowing. Keep calm, keep calm, he told himself. 

“Nonsense!” Gai said. “You’re always welcome, Lee.”

“Thank you, Sensei,” Lee said and slowly rose. He would not become distracted by the width of Gai-sensei’s shoulders nor the taut abdominals that gleamed with – 

Oh, God.

Gai laughed. “Lee, how many times must I tell you that when there’s no class and it’s just you and me, you can relax?”

Relax. While alone with Gai-sensei. With wicked and desperate plans in mind. Yeah, that was going to happen.

“Um, yes, ah…” Lee faltered, not sure how to begin. He’d rehearsed the speech with Kakashi nearly 100 times, but being face-to-face with Gai-sensei put everything into harsh perspective. Why – oh WHY – did Lee ever think that going to Kakashi with his problems would help? The man read porn in public and owned a bar. In what universe did that make him good at giving advice?

“Lee, did you…” Gai frowned and cocked his head to one side. “Change your hair?”

Lee’s hand flew to his head, fingers catching on a piece of dark, gelled hair. Now Lee mentally cursed Neji for talking him into letting Ino have her wicked way with his hair. A part of Lee – the calmer and eternally optimistic part that was still convinced everything would work out for the best – knew he would feel bad later for thinking such awful things about his friends. 

“Ahm, yes,” Lee said, hesitantly. “I had it…well, Ino cut it and did something with a product, I think.” Lee’s bowl cut was now shorter and choppier, the overall effect surprising to Lee. It was amazing what girls could do with a few snips of scissors and a pint of clear goo.

“I like it!” Gai said enthusiastically. “I think it truly suits you.”

Lee relaxed a few degrees. “Thank you, Gai-sensei.”

“And the clothes!” Gai said, grinning. 

Lee looked down at his black, fitted, v-neck shirt and jeans and gulped. Surely Gai-sensei would know something was up. Any minute now, Gai-sensei would say, “Lee, what do you think you’re doing?” And the entire plan would fall apart before it was off the ground.

Gai stepped closer to Lee and pulled him into a one-armed hug. Lee’s heart pounded and mouth went dry. Gai leaned closer and spoke softly, one conspirator to another.

“Anyone would be thrilled to see you looking like this, Lee.”

“Oh…” Lee said, his voice quiet. “I hope so.”

“Did you come to tell me you’ve finally decided to come clean to your special person?”

Lee’s heart stopped, restarted, and then promptly sank into his stomach.

“G-Gai-sensei?”

Gai laughed. “So nervous! Ah, my adorable favorite pupil!” Gai released Lee and stretched his back, hands on his hips. “You know, the one you’ve been admiring from afar. That you’ve told me about – without any details, might I add.” Gai held up one finger and winked at Lee. 

“I should hope that maybe now you’ll tell me more about her, yes?” Gai bent over at the waist and stretched some more, which was completely distracting.

“Ahm…actually…”

“Hm?” 

“I am here…” Lee closed his eyes, heard Kakashi’s reassurances that this would, indeed, work. He reached for the desperation that led him to this point, felt the frustration of years of denial, and finally found something that passed for courage.

“I am actually here for a bit of training, Gai-sensei.” Lee stood straight and lifted his chin. “If Gai-sensei has time for me, I am in need of guidance.”

Gai blinked, gave Lee and his appearance a once-over, and then recovered. “Of course,” he said. “Would you like to borrow a gi? Or-”

“No,” Lee said, perhaps a bit too quickly. He mentally admonished himself, knowing that if this was to work, he needed to be the best actor he could be. “Actor” sounded so much better than “liar” or “manipulator.” 

Lee winced and then shoved aside his conscience. A man has to do what a man has to do.

“No, Sensei, I don’t think I will need one. I was hoping you could help me with something that probably will not require much…strain.” At first, anyway.

“Oh?” Gai smiled at Lee encouragingly. “What’s that?”

“Knots.”

“Come again?” Gai said.

“Knots, Gai-sensei.” 

Gai frowned. “Explain,” he said and crossed his arms.

Practically tingling with nerves but trying not to let it show, Lee squared his shoulders to address his sensei with the utmost respect he could manage. 

“I have been learning about tying knots,” Lee said. “Because it occurred to me that it might be useful at some point to know how to secure someone while I wait for help.”

“Wait for help?” Gai asked.

Lee nodded earnestly, his eyes wide. “For instance, if an assailant tried to harm me-“

“Which he could not do,” Gai interjected, pride in his voice.

Lee thrilled a bit at his mentor’s tone and continued. “Yes – but once I’d subdued him, I might need to wait for the police. It seems impractical to just…sit on or hold or otherwise restrain the attacker until that happens. Response times are not what they should be in this city.”

Gai nodded seriously, his brows furrowed.

“So, I have been learning about knots and ways to secure a person for such a situation.”

“That’s fantastic, Lee!” Gai exclaimed. “Such initiative! You remain unmatched by any of my other students.”

Lee beamed and mentally cheered. This was going exactly according to plan.

“Now, how may I be of assistance in your endeavor?” 

“Gai-sensei, with your permission, I would like to test my knowledge of knots thus far.”

At this, Lee saw a muscle in his teacher’s jaw twitch. The smile and the stance remained the same, but Lee knew Gai-sensei very well. He needed to tread carefully.

“Oh?” Gai said.

Lee nodded and channeled every pure emotion and ounce of respect he had for Gai-sensei. He must appear humble, earnest…without ulterior motive. 

“So you want to…do what, exactly?”

“Tie you up, Gai-sensei.” Lee said in his best shouldn’t-this-be-obvious-and-normal voice.

Gai’s eyes widened slightly and Lee marveled at Kakashi’s advice. It seemed the porn-lover might actually know Gai better than Lee after all. Perhaps instead of practicing kidney punches on the white-haired man Lee would bake him a cake instead.

“Ah, Lee, I’m not so sure-“

“I only ask you because I know that you are the ultimate test of my skill, sensei. If I can manage to successful tie you, then no other foe will have a chance against me!”

Lee watched as Gai-sensei swallowed and tried to keep his face neutral. If Kakashi was correct, Lee knew exactly what was going through his beloved sensei’s mind, and Lee struggled to keep his cool, too. As if the sight of the man half-dressed and disheveled from training wasn’t bad enough…

“I agree that I would probably be a good test of your skill, Lee, but-“

“Excellent, Gai-sensei!” Lee exclaimed. “I knew you would help me.” 

Lee immediately turned and practically ran to grab a chair. The chair was wooden, thankfully, and not plastic or folding. When Lee devised his plan, he thought of this chair as it always sat in one corner of the dojo for whatever reason.

Lee placed the chair in front of a round support pole and turned to grab Gai-sensei. He didn’t want to give his mentor enough time to really think or back out of this.

“If you will just sit here, Sensei,” Lee said and pushed Gai into the chair. For his part, Gai let him, though Gai looked several degrees of unsure. 

I can do this, Lee said to himself as he grabbed his pack and unzipped it. He yanked out a considerable amount of nylon cord and a pair of surgical scissors and struggled to contain his rapid heartbeat.

This is the only way, and I can do this.

Lee repeated the phrase to himself several times as he knelt next to his sensei’s feet and began to position the rope.

“Lee, um,” Gai began but seemed to lose his train of thought as Lee hastily found the middle of the longest length of rope and positioned it behind the pole. 

“Yes, Gai-sensei?” Lee asked. 

“How much have you studied this knot-tying business?” 

“I’ve read a few books and researched on the Internet,” Lee answered. That was mostly true, although a “few” books was more like 20. And then he’d practiced the knots until his hands bled. Every night for a week.

“I see,” Gai said and Lee didn’t miss that Gai’s leg twitched as Lee began to secure it to the chair and then back to the pole. Lee quickly repeated the process on the other leg and got the same muscle twitch. Lee tried his best to concentrate on working the rope, tying the knots, and securing his sensei. He didn’t want to think too hard about Gai-sensei’s reaction – or lack thereof – when the rest of Lee’s plan was revealed. 

And Lee really didn’t want to think about the fact that he was on his knees tying Gai to a chair and pole with his face only inches from Gai’s crotch.

“I didn’t know you were so interested in knots, Lee,” Gai said, his voice level. “It’s an interest of mine as well.”

“Oh, I know,” Lee said and was glad that Gai couldn’t see his face as Lee’s eyes widened at the slip. Dammit – he was a horrible actor!

“You do?” Gai asked, genuine surprise in his voice.

“Well, of course, Gai-sensei,” Lee said respectfully. “I would imagine that anything in the realm of protecting oneself would be of interest to you.”

“Right,” Gai said, relief in his voice. “Of course.”

Lee congratulated himself for all of two seconds before he realized he needed to tie Gai’s hands. Without looking at Gai’s face – because that might undo any resolve Lee had – he gently pulled Gai’s left arm down beside the chair. Gai didn’t resist, and Lee relaxed a bit. Moving swiftly, he secured Gai’s arm to the chair and then wrapped the rope around the pole to do the same to the other arm. Lee moved gracefully around the chair and Gai, never pausing, never hesitating. 

It wasn’t until he tied the last knot that Lee noticed that Gai was no longer “Gai-sensei” but simply, “Gai” in his mind. Lee understood the significance of this. Lee was no longer a child – no longer a mere student. He hadn’t been for a long time, truth be told, and well…when you were about to do what Lee was going to do, it was best to start thinking in terms of equality.

“There,” Lee said softly. “I think I’m finished.”

“Wonderful!” Gai said, but his voice was strained. His legs and arms were tied to the chair – the slats of the chair allowing the rope to secure Gai’s arms at the sides – and then a complicated series of knots and slack secured everything to the pole. If Lee was right, Gai shouldn’t be able to move more than a couple of inches.

“Try to move,” Lee commanded quietly. Lee didn’t really have to ask – Gai was already flexing against the rope. The knots held easily. 

“I think you may have considerable skill in this area, Lee!” Gai said and smiled up at his pupil. Lee stood in front of Gai with his hands on his hips, his eyes assessing. He watched as Gai licked his lips and tried to move without being too obvious about it.

“You do?” Lee asked, more for just something to say. He knew what he wanted to do next – and that would take him beyond the point of no return. If he just left it at this – and he could – nothing would change. He could just take the surgical scissors that lay on the floor near the chair, cut Gai free, and that would end this.

Except it wouldn’t. And Lee had honestly tried everything else over the past several weeks.

Everything.

But Gai simply didn’t hear him – didn’t understand.

And Lee desperately wanted Gai to understand how he felt. The only thing that eclipsed that need was the hope that Gai would…well, not react too badly.

“Oh, yes,” Gai said. He shifted and Lee heard his breath catch. Lee stood still, staring down at Gai, his expression neutral. The tension in the room eased up a few more notches and Gai squirmed more, this time not trying to keep it surreptitious. 

“Ah, Lee? Is there something…” Gai’s voice trailed off, and Lee paid it no mind.

Lee let his eyes wander over Gai – his loose pants twisted and restrained by the cord, his arms and legs confined, his back straight, his bare chest moving with each breath. Lee let desire give him courage and took a step forward. Gai’s eyes widened, incomprehension written all over his face. Even now, he didn’t accept what was happening – that the tables had turned. Lee wanted to destroy something in sheer frustration.

Because even now, with his erection clearly showing through his loose pants, Gai didn’t know or acknowledge where Lee was going with all this. 

Gai could not possibly be this obtuse. Even I’m not that bad, Lee thought.

The desire and frustration pushed Lee forward and beyond the point of going back. With a graceful swing of his leg, Lee straddled Gai’s right leg and then easily shifted his balance to straddle the other leg. Then Lee sat gently down on Gai’s lap, putting their faces inches apart and their erections against one another.

Gai’s body spasmed and he gasped. “Lee…”

“Yes, Sensei?” Lee leaned forward and ran his mouth over the skin of Gai’s shoulder. So good – he smelled and felt so good. Lee flicked his tongue – so carefully, so lightly – and tasted Gai’s skin. Lee sighed in happiness. He realized then that the entire plan was worth it for this one, single moment. If nothing else – Lee would always have this.

And now Lee needed to make the man desperate enough to listen to the rest of the story.

Lee reached behind Gai to steady himself with the pole and then slowly he ground down into Gai’s lap, dragging himself over Gai’s hardness. Lee’s mouth fell open and he softly moaned, the thrill of the moment and the sensation overwhelming him. 

Gai’s expression was equal parts incomprehension, distrust, and desire. The older man’s body trembled and Lee thought for a second they would both pass out: Gai from shock and Lee from unbridled lust.

“What…why…” Gai whispered and licked his lips.

“Gai,” Lee said, his breath moving a piece of Gai’s hair. Gai’s eyes were wide and wild, his body tense, breathing erratic. This was so good – so right. Lee wanted to cry out in sheer triumphant joy that this worked, that his plan managed to get Gai right where he wanted him: helpless and in no position to run or avoid Lee.

Lee sighed happily and stilled on Gai’s lap. He was definitely baking Kakashi a cake.

“Gai,” Lee said, putting his hands on his beloved’s face. 

“We need to talk.”

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ Everyone, may I present my very, very first attempt at Fanfiction. This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	2. Chapter 2

__

A Few Weeks Earlier…

Pain blazed down Lee’s arm as he blocked another blow. Lee breathed with it and let it roll through him. Then with an easy grace, Lee threw himself forward, planted a hand on the dojo floor, flipped behind his opponent, and spun to land a kick.

“Excellent!” Lee praised, stopping his leg so that his foot barely touched the student’s side. “That was much better than last time, Ty. Let’s reset.”

“Yes, Sensei!” the blond boy intoned and obeyed. Lee grinned. There were few things better than sparring with an enthusiastic pupil. They moved into position.

“Begin!” Lee commanded.

Around the room, other students sparred and practiced, Gai-sensei wandering among all of them, moving bodies, praising technique, correcting stances. Lee loved the Saturday class and was always happy when Gai-sensei asked him to help teach. It earned Lee some extra cash – though he constantly told Gai-sensei that he was paid entirely too much for just a few hours here and there – and allowed him more time in the dojo. Sometimes after class Lee got to help Gai-sensei clean and then work in the garden, which made for the perfect Saturday in Lee’s opinion.

After another thirty minutes that passed entirely too quickly, Gai clapped his hands loudly.

“Wonderful!” Gai-sensei praised. 

The entire class stopped and assembled into a line without being asked. Lee moved to stand near the entrance, his posture as rigid as any of the students’.

“What have we done today?” Gai asked.

“Youthful training, Gai-sensei!” the class intoned, some grinning, some serious. Every one of them was used to this little ritual, and Lee never tired of it.

“And what will you do until next week?”

“Youthful practice, Gai-sensei!”

Gai beamed and gave the class an enthusiastic thumbs-up.

“Class dismissed!”

“Thank you, Gai-sensei!” They bowed and then immediately scattered to gather gear and belongings, chattering all the while. 

“Lee,” Gai called. “Could you roll the mats, please?” 

“Of course, Gai-sensei!” Lee moved to begin straightening up and Gai turned to say goodbye to each student as he or she left. Lee was always moved by Gai-sensei’s sincere devotion to all of his students.

Lee rolled the mats, stored practice gear, and slid open the back door to the dojo and began to sweep. He hummed while he worked, happy in his Saturday routine. His muscles ached and he could use a shower, but his mind was completely at peace. 

An hour later and Gai-sensei was not back to help Lee finish up. Unconcerned, Lee shrugged the thought away. Perhaps his sensei got side-tracked in the front office. Looking around at the clean dojo, Lee walked to the front and began to lower the bamboo shades over the wall of windows. 

On the third shade, Lee stopped suddenly and stared.

From where Lee stood, he could clearly see Gai-sensei resting against the trunk of one of the shade trees in front of his house. His arms were loosely crossed, his posture relaxed. The front of his gi was open slightly, exposing throat and upper chest.

Leaning on one hand next to him was Kakashi: Gai-sensei’s old friend and – rumor had it – training partner from many years ago. That in itself wasn’t terribly unusual – Kakashi often stopped by the dojo to see Gai, and Lee knew the men were friends. 

But Kakashi usually didn’t stand so close to Lee’s mentor. And he usually didn’t artfully lean in to whisper something directly in Sensei’s ear or run one hand casually down Gai-sensei’s bicep. Lee’s mouth went dry as he watched Gai-sensei roll his head and laugh at whatever Kakashi said. Lee could see Kakashi’s profile and saw the man grin and lean back in to whisper something else. The gray-haired man’s body shifted closer and Gai-sensei didn’t move. Instead he inclined his head toward his friend, body language welcoming the invasion of personal space.

Without warning, reason, or precedent, Lee saw red.

Before Lee’s brain could catch up to his body, he was away from the windows, out the door of the dojo, and standing on the path that led to the tree.

“Gai-sensei!” Lee called, his voice sounding strangled even to his own ears. Kakashi turned, surprised, but didn’t move away from Gai-sensei. Lee ground his teeth together and walked closer to the men.

“Lee?” Gai said. “What’s wrong?” Gai pushed away from the tree, his face a mask of concern. 

“I…” Lee faltered and it hit him that he’d just interrupted something…private. That he’d spied on his sensei and then barged in without thinking. Curiosity and confusion as to why he’d done that followed closely on the realization’s heels. What the hell was he doing? 

Lee looked helplessly from Gai-sensei’s concerned face to Kakashi’s neutral expression and swallowed.

“Are you hurt?” Gai walked over to Lee and grasped his upper arms, inspecting Lee’s face. Lee suppressed a whimper, and he didn’t even know why.

“N-no, Sensei, I am not hurt.” His mind spun frantically and finally landed on a flimsy excuse.

“I apologize, Gai-sensei. I saw Kakashi and hoped to ask him how Naruto is enjoying London.” There’s no way he’s buying this. Lee gulped.

Gai’s expression relaxed somewhat, but now he looked confused. “I see,” he said. “So you’re okay?”

Lee nodded entirely too enthusiastically.

“Okay, then.” Gai’s gaze lingered on Lee for a few more seconds before he finally released his student and turned to Kakashi. “I’ll be in the office. Stop by before you leave?”

“Sure,” Kakashi said and smiled. Gai turned and headed to the front office, and Lee breathed a sigh of relief.

It was short-lived.

“So you wanted to ask me something?” Kakashi said, pushing off the tree trunk and walking toward Lee. The man arched an eyebrow at his friend’s pupil and studied him in a way that made Lee want to fidget.

“Ahm, yes. How is Naruto? Have you heard from him?” Lee knew that Naruto and Kakashi were close, especially since the passing of Naruto’s godfather, Jiraiya, a few years ago. Naruto ran his father’s company and managed the continued sales of his godfather’s numerous published works. Lee’s friend was in London for business and would be there a couple more weeks.

“He’s fine, Lee. I’ll tell him you asked after him.” Kakashi continued to scrutinize Lee.

“Thank you,” Lee said. Not knowing what else to say, he moved to head back to the dojo.

“You know,” Kakashi said and Lee stopped. “You’ve grown up rather well.”

Lee frowned, not sure what to say to that. “Thank you?”

Kakashi sauntered over to Lee, arms crossed and expression unreadable. Something like humor danced in his mismatched eyes. Lee would never ask – it would be rude – what led to Kakashi receiving a blue donor transplant eye. The medical world amazed Lee; not only for what it had accomplished for him, but also for what it did for others. 

The effect of one blue eye and one brown was, however, mildly disturbing. It always felt like Kakashi’s “other” eye could see much more than a normal one.

“I think you’re even taller than the last time I saw you,” Kakashi continued.

Lee struggled with and thankfully overcame the desire to say something rude to get away from Kakashi. Anger still boiled in his gut for reasons Lee wasn’t quite clear on, but he knew it had to do with this overly-handsome and strange man.

“I doubt it, sir. I stopped growing at 19.”

“Broader, then,” Kakashi amended. “The training is good to you.”

Lee bowed his head, not quite sure how to take the compliment, if that’s what it was. Lee would never be a match for Gai-sensei’s physique, but his shoulders were wide, his waist narrow, and he carried lean muscle toned by years of training with his sensei. Keeping in shape helped to manage the aches he felt from surgeries and old injuries, so it only made sense.

“And something tells me you’re maturing in other areas, too,” Kakashi said, and his mouth curled back in a sly smirk. “Right, Lee?”

Lee frowned and unbidden the scene with Gai-sensei and Kakashi against the tree played out in slow motion in his mind. It was a form of torture, really, and Lee felt his blood boil all over again. He saw Kakashi’s mouth move, saw Gai-sensei laugh…and then it hit him like a roundhouse kick to the temple.

He was bitterly and insanely jealous of Kakashi. 

And that could only mean…

Hundreds of images flew into Lee’s mind: the first time he met Gai-sensei and shook his hand. His teacher with other students and with Lee, himself: thousands of tiny moments that made up the fabric of happy memories. His tutor holding him when Lee found out he’d need more surgery. Waking up in the hospital to find Gai-sensei there, smiling, holding his hand. The never-ending encouragement and warmth. Countless dinners with his uncle and his sensei. Playing cards, watching movies, going for runs. Working in the garden, practicing moves side-by-side. Years upon years of closeness, friendship, and time spent in the safe and secure space that only Gai-sensei could provide.

Lee gasped and tried to cover it with a cough.

“I see,” Kakashi said cryptically. 

“You must excuse me, sir,” Lee said in a rush. “I feel a bit ill. Thank you for the update on Naruto and the kind words. Have a good day.” Lee bowed and fled. 

“Lee,” Kakashi called.

Without turning, Lee stopped, not wanting to be rude but so overwhelmed he could hardly breathe.

“If you ever need…to discuss anything – say, your sensei for example, I’m available.”

Lee’s eyes widened. He knew – the man KNEW. Lee managed to nod, hoped Kakashi saw it, and then walked hastily down the path.

Lee reached the dojo and slid the door shut with too much force. He turned and collapsed against the wall, one hand over his mouth and his eyes wide. 

Stay calm, stay calm…but Kakashi…he knew something – maybe everything. What if he told Gai-sensei? What if…

Enough! Lee’s face scrunched as he shouted at himself. He could do nothing about Kakashi’s actions…and besides, something told Lee that Kakashi would keep his suspicions to himself. 

Lee breathed in through his nose and out his mouth. Then he did it again 27 times. 

Lee had to get it together. Gai-sensei could come along at any moment, and then what? Lee blew out a puff of air. He wasn’t much for introspection – things in Lee’s life tended to be very simple. He liked protein shakes and morning jogs and curry. He didn’t like hospitals or subways or fried fish.

Lee liked to keep things simple.

So, in light of this recent revelation, Lee needed to organize and simplify.

He wasn’t upset that he loved his sensei – in fact, that only made sense. Given the amount of time Lee spent with Gai-sensei and for all he depended on the man, love seemed pretty natural.

Lee wasn’t shocked he had feelings for a man. The only relationship – if you wanted to call it that – in Lee’s past was a tragic attempt at dating Sakura. Oh, and one date with Ino that went so badly the pair agreed to never speak of it again. If Lee thought about his ideal version of beauty or handsomeness, his mind went to his sensei first and his friend Neji second. That really said all that needed to be said on the matter.

All right, so I’m gay: check.

Loving Gai-sensei and being gay weren’t the primary issues: what was distressing Lee the most was Kakashi. 

Obviously Kakashi knew Gai-sensei…very well. In fact, Lee could now assume that Kakashi knew his teacher far more intimately than Lee ever suspected. Was that the kind of man Gai-sensei found attractive? Were the two together? Dating? Had Lee been that blind?

Lee sunk to the floor and crossed his legs. If Gai-sensei was with Kakashi…well, that was that. Lee would simply get over his feelings of jealously, (red…rage) and hope Gai-sensei was happy. It would be hard, but Lee would do it for Gai-sensei.

But if they weren’t together, then maybe…maybe Lee could…

Could what? Date his sensei? Casually attack the man while training one day and kiss him until they couldn’t breathe?

Lee took a few moments to think about that…in depth.

Groaning, Lee hit his head on the wall. Those sorts of thoughts all assumed that his sensei would even look twice at plain, odd-looking Lee. Kakashi was beautiful and dramatic and exotic. Lee was just…well, an imitation of Gai-sensei in many ways. He’d stopped wearing the exact same style of clothing as his mentor years ago, but he still wore a green gi. He rationalized that as a way to distinguish himself as an instructor at the dojo and not merely a student. And his hair was now less an imitation of Gai-sensei and more just a habit, but…

Lee shook his head. It didn’t make any sense to worry about how Gai-sensei viewed him until he knew if his sensei was with someone. Gai-sensei always said to tackle difficult problems one step at a time as to not be overwhelmed. 

And the easiest way to learn if Gai-sensei was with someone was just to ask. Lee could ask his teacher anything – he never hesitated to come to his mentor with a problem, big or small. Gai-sensei possessed infinite patience and never made Lee feel small or stupid for the asking.

Lee stood, quickly drew the rest of the bamboo blinds, and then left the dojo. His mouth was set in a determined line and his stride was lengthened by purpose. He would ask and then he would know. It was simple, just the way Lee liked things.

So why were his palms sweating and his insides a quivering mass of jelly?

***

Lee found his sensei in the front office sitting behind the counter. A stack of paperwork indicated he was doing the monthly billing. For whatever reason, Gai-sensei liked to send out the notices himself. Gai looked up when Lee entered.

“Lee, there you are. Did you have a nice conversation with Kakashi?” Gai smiled.

Lee rubbed his hands on his pants and moved to lean against the counter. “Naruto is doing well,” he said. “Kakashi was…nice enough to say that he will tell Naruto I said, ‘Hello.’”

“I’m sure he’ll be happy to do that. Naruto should be back in, what, two weeks?”

Lee nodded. “I think so, yes.”

Gai made an affirmative noise and stamped an envelope with the dojo’s address.

“Did you finish in the dojo?” Gai asked.

“Yes, Sensei, all clean.”

“Good job and thank you. What are your plans for the rest of this glorious Saturday?”

“Actually, I have a lunch date with Neji and Tenten,” Lee said, thankful that Gai-sensei reminded him. 

“Then you’d best be on your way! It’s nearly eleven, now,” Gai said looking up at the clock. “Tell Neji I look forward to seeing him on Tuesday.”

For one horrible moment Lee was sure his cowardice would win and he would leave without asking Gai-sensei anything personal. That would be so much easier – but it would do nothing to slake his curiosity. Besides, Lee was not one to back down from a challenge, no matter how embarrassing.

“Before I go, I wanted to ask…” Lee paused, not wanting to be rude. Then again, Lee didn’t see a way to ask this question without being brash. He bit his lip.

Gai turned toward Lee, the stool squeaking in protest. “What’s on your mind, Lee?”  
Lee didn’t answer right away, and Gai frowned.

“Does it have something to do with earlier?”

Lee didn’t know if he should feel relieved or terrified that Gai-sensei could guess so well. Lee nodded.

Gai’s expression darkened. “You didn’t push yourself too hard with Ty, did you? The boy’s good enough to land a few on me occasionally.”

So Gai-sensei didn’t guess correctly after all. Lee sighed. Gai-sensei often scolded Lee for pushing himself to the point of near-injury. Ironic considering the older man didn’t know the meaning of “quit” or “slow down.”

“Lee.” Gai’s voice promised a solid scolding.

“No, Gai-sensei, that’s not it. I am not…it has nothing to do with Ty. My question is about Kakashi.”

“Kaka-"

“I was wondering if you…are with him?” Lee let the words tumble from his mouth afraid that if he paused he would lose courage. 

“I saw…I did not mean to spy, honestly, Gai-sensei, but I saw the two of you in the garden. I thought…I wondered…”

Gai surprised Lee by laughing. “Oh, is that it? Lee, I’m surprised at you. I’ve told you my orientation before.” Gai’s face was kind, his tone gentle.

Lee shook his head in quick denial. “Oh no! That is not what I meant, Sensei! I knew that about you, I just…I mean…Kakashi?” 

Gai laughed again. “What, you don’t like my old rival, Lee?”

“I am sure he is fine, Gai-sensei,” Lee said quickly. Kakashi would be more fine with Lee’s foot in his face.

Lee repressed the urge to smack himself for that uncharacteristically mean thought.

“Ah, Lee, I forget how young you are sometimes,” Gai-sensei said, and Lee very much wanted to tell his sensei exactly how un-youthful his thoughts were at the moment. 

“Kashi and I are friends who’ve been more than that once or twice in our lives.” Gai’s voice was almost wistful. “He’s with Iruka, now, and very happy. Kashi and I are just comfortable old friends. We work much better that way.”

Lee grasped the counter to keep from sinking to the floor in sheer relief. They weren’t together. But just because his sensei wasn’t with Kakashi didn’t mean…

“Are you with someone else?” Lee blurted.

But Gai didn’t seem to be bothered by Lee’s directness. He shook his head, dark hair moving and making Lee’s fingers itch with the need to touch. He clasped his hands together.

“No, I’m not seeing anyone right now, Lee. It is…better that way.” 

The sadness in his sensei’s voice struck Lee. “Sensei?” 

Gai shook himself and laughed. “Oh, Lee, I’ve kept you too long! Go get a shower and change for lunch with your friends. You don’t need to stand around listening to an old man babble.” Gai smiled and Lee could tell it was absolutely insincere.

“Of course, Gai-sensei.” Lee paused. “And you were not babbling…I am happy you shared that information with me.” Happy and in hell at the same time…it was a new feeling for Lee. 

Gai waved one hand and turned back to his paperwork. “I’ll see you soon. Don’t forget to write down your hours for me, okay?”

Reluctantly, Lee left his sensei and went to shower and change. The entire time Lee’s mind warred: an army of glee shouted that Gai-sensei was free and not involved with Kakashi. An army of doubt wondered what exactly Lee was supposed to do with that information now that he had it. And to make matters worse, an army of worry blindsided the dueling hordes from the rear explaining loudly that something troubled Lee’s sensei, and that was intolerable.

It was a long shower.

Lee arrived five minutes late to lunch and found both Tenten and Neji already seated at a booth, menus open. 

“There you are,” Tenten said, smiling as Lee slid into his seat. Neji merely looked up, brushed his hair behind one ear, and nodded at Lee. 

“So, what are you thinking, Neji? You doing the seafood-“ 

“I am in love.” 

Tenten froze, her mouth open, the question of seafood dying on her lips. Neji’s gray eyes widened, and he blinked.

So it wasn’t exactly the way Lee hoped to break the news to his friends, but it would suffice.

“Uh…” Tenten said.

“And I am terrified I do not have a chance,” Lee continued, sort of amazed at his own honesty. “I think the one I love is…very sad for some reason, and I cannot stand it.”

Tenten and Neji simply stared for a moment. 

“Waitress?” Tenten bellowed. A brunette hurried over to their table. “We’ll each have the shrimp and rice, soup to start, waters all around, and the bills are separate.”

The waitress scribbled furiously.

“Will there be anything-“

“No,” Tenten said firmly, and the waitress scampered away. Lee smiled, enjoying his friend’s assertive nature. As soon as she was gone, Tenten focused on Lee.

“Okay, let’s back up. You woke up this morning, got dressed, and, what? Love shoved you down the stairs?”

Lee barked a laugh, eyes widening. “That is actually pretty close.”

Tenten made an exasperated noise. “How does that even happen? And who is it?”

Lee shook his head. “I have been in the dark for a long time, I think, just not really…understanding some things about myself.” Lee thought about Kakashi whispering in Gai-sensei’s ear. 

“Let us just say I got a rude awakening,” Lee said dryly.

“But who is it?” Tenten repeated.

“I do not want to say.”

“What? You love someone but are ashamed-“

“No!” Lee said loudly enough that the next table looked at them. 

“Sorry, sorry,” Lee said, bowing his head. “No,” Lee continued, addressing Tenten. “I am not ashamed, but I do not wish for my feelings to somehow…plague the one I love.”

Tenten rolled her eyes. The waitress brought them water and hastily left. 

“But it’s a guy, right?” Tenten asked.

Lee choked on his water.

“Tenten,” Neji said, quietly admonishing her bluntness. 

“What?” Tenten challenged. “If Lee is straight my entire paradigm has to shift.”

“Much like it shifted after you learned about Naruto and Sasuke?” Neji asked, arching one delicate brow.

Tenten blushed. “Walking in on those two was way more traumatic than this.” She shuddered. “Who knew Sasuke was such a dirty, dirty-“

“I think we’re off the subject,” Neji interjected.

“Right. Sorry, Lee.”

Lee nodded and drank his water, this time successfully. 

“But I’m right, aren’t I?”

Lee hesitated a moment and then nodded. 

“Whew, thank God,” Tenten said. 

The food arrived then and for a few moments the three friends were consumed with the task of putting utensils to sustenance to mouths. Lee was starving.

“So, you love this guy,” Tenten said, her mouth full.

“I do,” Lee said, trying not to flinch every time she said, “guy.”

“And he’s single?”

“He is.”

“So what’s the problem?”

Lee looked up from his plate, not really knowing how to put it into words. Lee was plain, Gai-sensei was so much more than a teacher, there were 13 years between them, Lee had never been in love…

“Well, he is…older,” Lee finally said. 

“Ooh! And older man! Nice, Lee,” Tenten grinned at him, but Neji carefully put down his chopsticks. Gray eyes regarded Lee in much the same way Kakashi looked at him earlier. Lee fidgeted with the condensation on his water glass.

“Tenten, could you get me some hand sanitizer?” Neji asked.

“What? I don’t know where they keep that stuff!”

“I’m sure you can find some.”

Tenten rolled her eyes again. “You’re such a priss, Hyuga.” But she got up to go find what Neji needed. 

“He doesn’t know you love him, does he?” Neji asked softly once Tenten was gone.

Of course Neji would understand. He was brilliant and knew Lee all too well.

“No, he does not,” Lee said miserably.

“Then you must find a way to tell him,” Neji said. “It does no one any good to just keep your feelings to yourself.” He paused and looked at Lee earnestly. “Believe me.”

“Neji…” It was as though Lee saw all the people in his life slightly differently today. Neji looked pained and lost – two things the confident man never seemed to be.

But just as quickly as the expression was there it was gone. With a graceful roll of narrow shoulders, Neji composed himself and his face revealed nothing except his typical calm demeanor.

“But how do I do it?” Lee asked, respecting Neji’s silent plea to change the subject.

Neji shrugged. “You said this person seemed sad…figure out some way to cheer him up and then tell him how you feel.”

“How would you cheer someone up, Neji?” Lee usually went for a ten-mile run when he felt sad or blue. Somehow, while he knew Gai-sensei would enjoy it, it just didn’t seem appropriate.

“Maybe a gift?” Neji suggested. 

“A gift…” Lee repeated. “Of course! Something bright and happy that will make him smile.” Lee beamed. “Thank you, Neji!”

Neji blanched at Lee’s overzealous enthusiasm. “Think nothing of it, Lee, really.”

Tenten came back a few minutes later, bottle of sanitizer in hand. They finished lunch, and Lee let Neji’s idea incubate in his mind. By the time they paid their bills and parted ways, Lee was making a running list of everything he’d seen Gai-sensei buy for himself. 

However, as much as Gai-sensei seemed to like weights, movies, and magazines, none of those things really screamed, “I love you!” to Lee.

Lee wasn’t even sure what kinds of gifts people sent to one another. People liked getting chocolates on Valentine’s and they liked pies during the holidays. And while Gai-sensei would never turn down food, it just didn’t quite hit the mark, either.

Gai-sensei loved to train, and he loved his garden…of course.

Lee stopped at a crosswalk and pumped the air in triumph. He would send Gai-sensei flowers! Perhaps it wasn’t very manly – could one send “manly” flowers? – but it was something Lee could send to the dojo and be there when it arrived. It would make Gai-sensei feel special that someone did that, wouldn’t it? Gai-sensei never received random gifts.

And since Lee could no more imagine himself handing over a bouquet to Gai-sensei than he could foresee himself reciting Shakespeare in the nude from the middle of the street, the delivery option was perfect. He could send a card, too, and then tell his teacher that the flowers were from him.

Lee grinned to no one in particular and did a little jig on the sidewalk. He didn’t care if people stared – he was in love, after all. That explained everything.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	3. Chapter 3

Ordering flowers turned out to be a much more complicated venture than Lee ever would have suspected. There was the question of what type of flowers to send, which led to a long and rather painful discussion about flower types, their purposes, and the most popular flowers sent as gifts. 

“Are they for your girlfriend?” The clerk asked.

“Ah, no…they are for my…well, I sort of hope he will eventually be my boyfriend…I think…” Calling Gai-sensei his “boyfriend” even in the most theoretical of ways made Lee blush twenty shades of red.

“Oh! Well, then!” 

What followed was an excruciating account of every flower bouquet ever sent between same-sex couples…for any reason. 

“And if you really want to send a message, you could always include a pack of condoms or maybe-“

“Just the flowers!” Lee squeaked.

Lee felt very fortunate that the entire transaction happened over the phone and with a flower shop other than Ino’s. Lee squirmed at the very thought of having such a discussion with Ino…or, God help him, Ino’s mother.

The time and delivery date were very important as Lee needed to be present when they arrived. Lee chose the following Wednesday, and it wasn’t until he hung up that he realized he would have to wait for two whole days.

By the time Wednesday arrived, Lee could jump start a car with his bottled nervous energy. He arrived at the dojo early, cleaned the front counter, organized the gear in the dojo, and then unrolled and re-rolled the mats. Gai’s assistant, Konohamaru, merely eyed Lee warily and kept clear of the energetic man.

“Lee, you’re certainly helpful today!” Gai-sensei commented as Lee straightened the awards on the shelves in the front office. For the third time.

Lee looked at the clock and willed the minute hand to move faster. The flowers would be here any moment. He swallowed.

“Lee?” Gai-sensei asked, concerned.

Lee turned and laughed, albeit a bit nervously. “I am sorry, Sensei. I just seem to have too much energy today.”

“Well, we’ll have to do extra laps later!” Gai-sensei grinned. “Help you burn some of that youthful enthusiasm!”

Lee smiled and nodded, but his mind immediately wandered to how, exactly, he’d love to burn some youthful enthusiasm. It was probably entirely too much to hope that once his beloved sensei knew how Lee felt, Gai-sensei would embrace him and…and…Lee’s mind stuttered at the thought of Gai-sensei’s mouth on his own. Lee’s lips started to tingle.

Blushing, Lee went back to straightening awards.

At exactly five minutes past three, Lee heard the door open to the front office. He turned from his dusting, (the next step after straightening, obviously) so fast he nearly got whiplash…

…to see Kakashi walk through the door.

Lee dropped his dust rag.

“Kashi” Gai said warmly. “I wasn’t expecting you today.” 

“I was in the neighborhood. Wanted to return these.” Kakashi gestured to the stack of DVDs in his hands. “Iruka wanted me to tell you that if you loan me any more of the American Pie movies, he’s going to kick your ass.” He put the stack on the counter.

“But there are two more!” Gai protested.

“Hey – it’s your ass. But I warn you, Ruka’s feisty.”

Gai laughed. Kakashi grinned. 

Lee wanted to sink into the floor. Of all the days and all the times WHY was Kakashi here? How could fate be so…so damned mean? 

Truly, the thought of sharing the moment when Gai-sensei saw the flowers for the first time with Kakashi pained Lee physically. 

And then, just like something in a tragic romance, the delivery man walked in.

“Delivery for a Gai Maito?”

Lee’s heart sputtered in his chest. The delivery man seemed to move in slow motion as he set the white box on the counter. Gai-sensei’s voice seemed to warble as he claimed ownership of the package. Kakashi pushed away from the counter and crossed his arms as Gai-sensei signed and the delivery man left. For a moment, Lee thought about going after him – just to escape.

Because, Lee realized, it wasn’t simply that he had to share Gai-sensei’s happy surprise with Kakashi. Nor was it that Lee would have to wait to tell Gai-sensei the flowers were from him – he could do that.

But Kakashi would know. The incredibly irritating and insightful man would know the flowers were from Lee. If the card didn’t give it away – oh God, what if Gai read the card aloud? - then definitely by the stricken look on Lee’s face; the fact that he was here obsessively polishing shelves. 

Lee felt shame upon shame, and the torrent of emotions was upsetting. He didn’t know why Kakashi’s impending knowledge bothered him so much – not in a way that he could easily explain to others. It had something to do with the red rage that welled inside him when he thought about how Kakashi knew Gai-sensei in ways that Lee…well, did not. It had to do with fear; what if Gai-sensei thought the gift was foolish? What if both men did?

Irrational fear, maybe, (Gai-sensei would never be so cruel!) but there all the same. 

The emotions were happening so fast, Lee struggled to identify them all. He was petrified and embarrassed and hopeful and eager…all at the same time.

Lee felt dizzy.

“Well, well,” Kakashi said. “What do we have here?” 

“I didn’t order anything,” Gai said, frowning.

“Open it up, then. See what it is.” To Kakashi’s credit, he didn’t immediately look at Lee, who stood frozen and staring at the scene before him.

Gai made quick work of the box flaps. Lee saw the tops of flowers and now he felt Kakashi’s eyes on him. 

Gai moved the box to the ground and then gently removed the green vase and the flowers from the box. He set them on the counter without comment. In fact, once Lee noticed Gai-sensei’s expression and complete silence, he started to sweat.

The arrangement was, actually, very pretty. Lee chose an assortment of irises, tulips, and alstroemeria. It was colorful and cheerful and not overly feminine. The vase was a solid dark green and covered in a bamboo stalk pattern. 

“Flowers,” Gai-sensei said. And he didn’t sound happy – in fact, he sounded annoyed. Lee stared at his mentor in confusion. That wasn’t the reaction Lee wanted in the least.

“They’re pretty,” Kakashi said and shrugged. “Who’re they from?”

“Kakashi, if you did this as some sort of challenge, I will-“ Gai-sensei sounded beyond annoyed, now. He sounded angry. Lee trembled.

“Oh hell no!” Kakashi threw his hands up in self-defense. “It wasn’t me. And you’re the one who feels the need to challenge yourself around here. 

“’sides,” Kakashi leaned closer to Gai and raised his eyebrows. “Do you have any idea what Iruka would do to me if he found out I sent you flowers and not him?”

Gai grunted. “Some,” he deadpanned.

“Is there a card?” Kakashi asked.

“Oh, I’m sure there is.”

“Gai, they’re not from her, read the card,” Kakashi said mysteriously. Lee frowned at the gray-haired man.

“How do you know who they’re from?” Gai asked, suspicious.

Kakashi sighed. “I don’t Gai, but that was years ago. I’m sure these are different.”

“It’s not my birthday, I have no anniversaries, I don’t-“ Gai-sensei argued.

“Gai – read the damned card!” Kakashi said through gritted teeth.

Lee’s heart pounded and his eyes followed Gai-sensei’s hand as he snatched the little white envelope out of its holder and ripped it open. Lee swallowed – it looked like he was going to hear Gai-sensei read the card aloud after all.

“’To the most amazing man I know from your most ardent admirer,’” Gai read.

Lee was quite proud of the wording, actually. The seconds seemed to drag while he waited for a reaction. Lee didn’t understand most of what was going on, but he did know that this moment was key to his plan. 

“Probably from a student,” Gai said, his voice neutral. Lee couldn’t tell what his sensei was feeling.

“Are most of your students ‘ardent’ admirers?” Kakashi asked.

“From someone else, then,” Gai said and dropped the card on the counter.

“Gai-“

“Whoever they’re from, it doesn’t matter,” Gai said, his tone firm.

Lee felt like a bucket of ice water just got dumped over his head.

Kakashi looked up at the ceiling with an imploring expression. 

“Why don’t you take them with you when you go?” Gai said. “Give them to Iruka.”

“Gai, I’m not going to give Iruka your flowers. Now would you just-“

“Thank you for stopping by, Kakashi,” Gai said, and he smiled one of those insincere smiles. Then he turned and made eye contact with Lee. Whatever he saw in Lee’s expression made Gai’s face flood with concern and something like shame.

“Oh, Lee…I…I am sorry,” Gai said. “I hope you won’t think too badly of me. Flowers are usually a wonderful gift. Just not for me.” Gai-sensei smiled, this one a little more genuine.

“I hope you’ll stay for the next class?” Gai said.

Lee just nodded, the irony of his sensei’s words not lost in the least. Lee swallowed. 

“Wonderful – thank you, Lee”

And Gai walked out of the office.

Lee didn’t move and the silence yawned. The entire sequence of events contained so many levels of wrongness that Lee couldn’t sort them all. Gai-sensei wasn’t happy with the gift, he was irritated by it. Flowers were a poor choice. There was something about a woman in there, too, and did Gai-sensei actually tell Kakashi to take his present away? Give it to someone else?

Lee wanted to break something and then take a very long nap.

“Several years ago there was a woman who really wanted to…ahm, pursue Gai,” Kakashi said, his voice startling loud. Lee jumped and realized the man had approached him while Lee was lost in thought. 

“Gai didn’t like the woman, and she didn’t like that at all. So she sent him flowers and cards that were rather cruel.” Kakashi’s face was serious, his eyes searching Lee’s face. 

“But...” Lee rasped and then cleared his throat. “Did she…what kind of…how can you be cruel with tulips?” Lee struggled to try to put the pieces together and failed, still reeling from the complete annihilation of his perfect plan.

Kakashi sighed. “They were roses, actually.” The man shook his head as though clearing it. “But, Lee, the flowers weren’t mean, the cards were. They said…cruel things about her suspicions as to why Gai didn’t like her back. And she sent the things about once a week for a month.”

A few things fell into place in Lee’s mind. “Because Gai-sensei is gay? That’s why he did not like her, right?” 

Kakashi rubbed the bridge of his nose. “Ah, yes, something like that.”

“So that is why he does not like flowers.” Lee frowned in concentration.

“Right,” Kakashi said and smiled.

“But the card was not mean,” Lee protested. “I heard it, I mean…it was…not mean.”

“Gai is a complicated man,” Kakashi said and sighed. “Overly so, sometimes.”

Lee nodded thinking that Gai-sensei certainly did seem more complicated now than he did yesterday. 

But, Lee noted, now he knew more about his sensei than he did earlier, and that was a bright spot in the dark. Lee quickly shoved aside the emotional turmoil and tried to simplify. No, things didn’t go according to plan, and yes the last few minutes were some of the most painful of Lee’s twenty years of life, but it wasn’t all bad. Sure, the flowers were an abysmal failure, but that didn’t mean other gifts would be. 

Lee straightened a bit as a spark of hope ignited in his brain. Of course! He could try something else. Lee couldn’t just let things lie like this, after all. He needed to find the gift that would make Gai-sensei happy so that Lee could set the stage to tell his sensei how he felt. 

Lee looked at Kakashi, fierce determination in his gaze. “Thank you for telling me about Gai-sensei. I will value the knowledge and your kindness.”

“Ahm, you’re welcome, Lee,” Kakashi said, unsure.

“I must go now, sir. I have…things to do – a class to help teach!”

“Oh boy.” Kakashi looked faintly worried and more than a little tired.

Lee bowed and raced off to the dojo. Training would help clear his mind so that he could plan his next move. He would find the perfect gift to help Lee express his love or he would do 1,000 standing push-ups.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	4. Chapter 4

“887…888…889…”

Lee grunted and paused, arms extended and his body inverted. Lee corrected his balance and held the handstand while he breathed. Gravity was really quite the bitch, Lee couldn’t help but notice.

Sweat pooled on the ground, and Lee watched it drip for a moment before continuing.

“890…” he grunted.

It wasn’t that the other gifts were bad, Lee reflected as he panted and counted out the push-ups. He still thought that gifts made logical sense and that his plans were solid. He didn’t fail at gift giving…Gai-sensei just failed at gift receiving.

Lee did the next ten reps faster to punish himself for thinking badly of his sensei.

After the flower fiasco, Lee took a couple of days to think through his next gift. After killing a small forest with discarded lists of ideas, Lee finally decided to stick with flora. Lee knew that Gai-sensei truly did love his garden, so sending a Hawthorne tree that Gai-sensei could plant seemed like a fantastic and sentimental choice. Lee chose the tree after careful research on the meanings of trees and various plants. Hawthorne trees symbolized love and unity. 

Once again, Lee arranged to be in the dojo when the gift arrived. And he watched with a sinking heart as Gai-sensei stared at the tree for a full minute and then ordered Konohamaru to set it against the back of the property – the furthest it could possibly get from Gai-sensei’s house.

“I’ll plant it later,” was all he said about it after that.

He didn’t even read the card, and he didn’t plant the tree for two entire days. Lee was pretty sure if Gai-sensei didn’t feel so guilty about letting green things die, it wouldn’t have gotten planted at all.

“952…” Lee growled.

Lee gave up hope on the plant kingdom at that point and decided to switch tactics. There had to be something Gai-sensei would like. So Lee polled his friends and asked them what the happiest gift would be. Pleased at the response, Lee made notes and took suggestions. Then he set about sending gifts in earnest. Surely one of them would make Gai-sensei smile, read the card, and give Lee the proper atmosphere for declarations of love.

Lee had 25 balloons delivered on Thursday afternoon. 

Gai-sensei handed them out in the next class as rewards.

Lee sent a Steiff teddy bear the following Monday.

Gai-sensei grimaced at the innocent stuffed animal and promptly told Lee to put it in the closet in the back of the dojo. He didn’t want to toss it because he could tell it was expensive, but he didn’t think it was “appropriate to leave around.”

It took Lee a week to recover from that emotional blow, but recover he did. After several hours on Ebay, Lee found a signed copy of one of Gai-sensei’s favorite books, (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance) and sent it along with a card. 

At least that gift made it to the shelf in the office instead of the bottom of a closet. But Gai-sensei still didn’t read the note.

The final straw, however, came when Lee reverted back to romantic gifts and sent Gai-sensei Belgium chocolates. Lee wrote out a note about love and commitment and put it inside the lid of the box without an envelope. If Gai-sensei just opened the box, he’d see it. 

Lee couldn’t bring himself to actually wait around for Gai-sensei to open the final gift, so he left them on the counter with a note that they were for Gai-sensei.

The next day, Gai-sensei presented the chocolates to Lee as a present. 

“They were on the counter yesterday, but I don’t enjoy dark chocolate like you do, Lee,” Gai-sensei explained.

“You didn’t even open them?” Lee asked.

“Oh no! I thought you’d want them, and I didn’t want you to think you were getting mere leftovers.” Gai-sensei smiled and ruffled Lee’s hair. 

Lee, for his part, did not scream, throw the chocolates in his sensei’s face, nor rip a door of its hinges. And because he desperately wanted to do each of those things, he ran an extra 200 laps around his uncle’s neighborhood the next morning.

“…1,000.” 

Lee collapsed panting onto the dojo floor. Usually exercise cleared his brain – forced him to think of nothing but straining muscles and getting to the last rep. It put him into his body and the present and didn’t allow for pesky things such as “thoughts” or “doubts.”

But Lee was beside himself with frustration, and he could feel doubt creeping into his brain. What if he just couldn’t get through to his sensei? What if his sensei loved another in secret? 

No, Gai-sensei said he wasn’t seeing anyone, and he would never lie to Lee. That was impossible.

…wasn’t it?

“Lee!” Gai called and Lee jumped. Gai pulled the door to the dojo closed and approached the spot darkened by Lee’s intense self-punishment.

Gai laughed. “I’m sorry. Didn’t mean to startle you. What are you doing in here my most dedicated pupil?”

The warmth in Gai-sensei’s face usually lit Lee up from the inside. It made him feel safe and happy. Usually.

Right now, it made Lee irrationally angry and incredibly…sad.

Lee quickly stood and bowed at the waist. “I apologize, Sensei. I was just finishing the last of my training.”

“Lee, it’s just us so you don’t have to…” Gai paused and shook his head, frowning. “It’s fine that you’re here. Actually, I was wondering if you’d like to-“

“Thank you, Sensei. I apologize most heartily but I must go and prepare to leave. My uncle expects me home soon.” Lee felt almost light-headed at his nearly-rude tone, but he needed to get away from this man right now. He needed…something, but he wasn’t sure what. Renewed vigor? Another plan? Lee didn’t know.

“That’s fine, Lee, I understand,” Gai-sensei said, his voice carefully neutral.

Lee bowed a little deeper and then rose, turned, and tried not to run to the locker room. Once there, he immediately went to his reserved space to gather up his belongings and leave. His uncle did expect him home…there was just no particular time that expectation needed to be met. So it wasn’t a lie, Lee told himself, not really.

Lee stopped short when he saw the box of chocolates lying on the bench. He’d left them there earlier just before he went back into the dojo. Lee stared at them and breathed slowly and deeply. It felt like something inside him was breaking, and it was completely different from a torn muscle or a crushed limb. Lee knew what physical pain felt like. But this was entirely new and entirely…awful. 

Sighing, Lee turned and headed for the showers. He couldn’t quite face heading home to brood over everything in his life right now. Besides, he smelled terrible.

Casually stripping out of his pants and Green Dojo t-shirt, Lee entered the shower area and turned on the nearest faucet to let the water warm. The showers consisted of a long row of cubicles designed for privacy from one another but not from the main room. Most people preferred the showers that didn’t have a clear view of the rest of the locker room: the ones on each end of the row. The ones in the middle, therefore, were usually a bit cleaner. Lee liked using those.

Once steam filled the shower cubicle, Lee stepped under the spray and practically moaned as the scalding water hit the muscles in his shoulders and neck. For long, blissful minutes he just stood there, willing the muscles to relax. He concentrated on each muscle group and mentally forced them to loosen; an old post-training exercise. For the first time all day Lee’s mind quieted and Lee let himself enjoy it.

Turning, Lee grabbed a bottle of soap and poured a liberal amount in his hands. He started with his hair, fingers digging into the scalp. There was tension everywhere, Lee noted with a sigh. Maybe he could con Hinata into letting him get a discounted massage at her health spa. 

Lee rubbed down his neck and worked at his shoulders. Finding two tender knots, Lee forced his thumbs into them and grunted with the pain and pleasure of it. He worked the knots for a few minutes and then moved on to his upper arms. Lee continued to work at his body, forcing each painful part to loosen, sighing and making soft noises as he went. The massage sounded better and better with each passing moment. Lee wondered how much such a thing would cost.

By the time Lee finished and began to rinse off, he was half hard and irritated about it. Damned hormones and their timing. Lee blew out a puff of air, closed his eyes and stretched his back, groaning over popping vertebrae. Sure jerking off would feel great, but then Gai-sensei would be back on his mind. Lee didn’t want to think about the man. Didn’t want to imagine how Gai-sensei’s face was supposed to look when he had received Lee’s gifts. Lee didn’t want to see the smile, the sparkle in Gai-sensei’s dark eyes. Think about the embrace as Lee confessed his love, hear the whisper of “Lee” in his ear.

Lee sighed in wistful pleasure and leaned back against the shower wall. Acting on an unconscious demand, Lee’s hand snaked its way down his wet body and grasped his fully hard cock. Lee let out a sharp exhale of air, he pumped his hand slowly along his length, and his thoughts focused on the way Gai-sensei’s mouth would feel, the way his eyes would cloud with desire. Lee licked his lips and imagined Gai-sensei’s tongue sliding along his own, strong hands digging into his lower back, pulling him closer, needing him.

“Lee…let me touch you, Lee…”

Groaning Lee’s hand moved faster on his shaft, palming the head, moving back down. 

“Oh, please,” Lee whispered very softly. Gai-sensei would grasp Lee’s aching cock through his clothing, the touch caressing and gentle. And Lee could feel the larger man’s body against Lee’s own, the weight delicious and hard. Lee groaned and grasped himself tighter as he thought of Gai-sensei grinding against his leg.

“You make me so hard, Lee.”

And Gai’s mouth was on Lee’s neck, his teeth nibbling along his jaw, his arm tight around Lee’s body, his-

A noise echoed through the room and Lee’s eyes flew open and he quickly turned his back to the open locker room. Lee blushed furiously, slammed the water off, and hastily jerked a towel around his waist. 

“Hello?” Lee called, proud his voice was only slightly uneven. There was neither answer nor sound.

Lee’s shoulders sagged in relief, and he quickly toweled off and threw on clothing. Lee shoved the box of chocolates to the bottom of his locker and grabbed his backpack. Konohamaru probably just came back to get something. Lee tried to comfort himself with the idea that the assistant’s locker didn’t have a view of the showers, so obviously the kid couldn’t see anything. 

Like Lee masturbating…to thoughts of his sensei.

Lee blushed again and marched through the dim dojo. It was dark outside as Lee very quietly left the building and pulled the door shut behind him. Getting home sounded like the best plan in the world. Lee silently walked down the covered path toward the front office and then paused when he saw something odd from the corner of his eye.

Gai-sensei’s home was to the dojo’s right if one faced the main office, and there was a covered walkway leading from the side of the dojo to Gai-sensei’s front door. The man made a habit of keeping the shades drawn over the windows to keep out prying student eyes, and he was very meticulous about the doors being locked.

The front door of Gai-sensei’s house was open. Lee frowned and immediately changed direction, wondering if something was wrong. No lights were on that Lee could see, and it wasn’t like his sensei to be so forgetful.

Lee’s feet were silent on the paved walkway, the awning overhead further darkening the path. Lee cautiously approached the door and paused to listen just outside. The front door opened into the living room, and Lee could see light flickering faintly from the left. Gai-sensei must be watching TV.

Lee slipped into the house, intent on announcing his presence and that he would close the door after himself, but at the sight of Gai-sensei lying prone on the couch Lee’s voice died in his throat.

The couch ran along the far side of the living room positioned so that Gai or guests could recline and watch the flat screen TV that occupied the wall furthest from the front door. Lee could see the back of his sensei’s head, could tell that his pants were bunched around his thighs, could see the movement of his arm and body, but the rest – such as how Gai-sensei’s hand looked on his own cock – was hidden from Lee’s view. 

Gai couldn’t see Lee at all unless he turned completely around. The only light was from the TV, which was playing a black and white movie, the sound almost completely off. It wasn’t porn – unless Gene Kelly had secretly led a duel career, that is. 

Lee didn’t breathe for a full minute as he watched and waited for Gai to sense his student’s presence and come at Lee with embarrassed fury. 

Instead, Gai rolled his hips and his head tilted back onto the arm of the couch. Lee’s cock throbbed hard and heavy at the sight and did it again at the sound of Gai’s moan. The light from the TV illuminated just enough that Lee could see Gai’s face contorted in pleasure and need, his eyes closed and teeth clenched. 

With sense Lee didn’t even know he possessed, he backed up until the front door hid most of his body. That way, even if Gai turned to look, Lee could hope the shadows provided enough cover for him to slip away without being discovered. 

All thoughts of anything but the way Gai looked as he jerked himself toward orgasm fled Lee’s mind. Lee’s body flushed with intense heat, the stolen finish from earlier now close once again. Some part of him screamed that this was disrespectful, yelled at Lee to stop watching and leave immediately. 

But Lee couldn’t help himself…and when he leaned against the doorframe and slid his hand beneath the waistband of his pants to clutch at his pulsing, needy sex, all he felt was burning want.

Oh, God the way Gai moved. Lee’s sensei panted loudly enough for Lee to hear it and reached one hand down to grasp the side of the couch. His head turned so that his cheek rested on the couch’s arm, and Lee could make out the vague shape of Gai and his hand – moving, pulling, squeezing.

Lee shifted his bag carefully and brought the hand not wrapped around his cock to his mouth. Lee bit into the meat of his thumb to keep from making noise as his eyes feasted and he pumped faster. Precum smeared making the glide smoother and wetter, and Lee bit deeper into his own flesh. Lee blinked through the haze of pleasure and imagined himself lying next to Gai, meeting his eyes, panting with him. He wanted to lean down and breathe against Gai’s skin. Kiss his cheek and ear. Taste him. 

“I want to see you come, Sensei.” 

“Shit,” Gai hissed from the couch and Lee felt himself tense. He braced against the doorway and came hard, spilling hotly into his hand and clothing. The sound of his own pulse filled his ears, and he felt his teeth break skin.

Gai’s hips jerked violently upward once, twice, and then he moaned very softly as he came. It was the most amazing sound Lee could ever imagine. Lee wanted to stay and watch, wanted to walk over and kiss Gai, tell him to do it again – oh, God, make Gai do it again.

But instead he silently slipped out of the house and ran for the front office. As his key turned the lock on the outside of the front door, Lee leaned against the glass and panted, finally catching his breath.

There would be time for confusion and shame later; time to understand what he’d done and how to face Gai-sensei. Time to rework the plan to make Lee’s beloved sensei his.

For now, though, Lee just wanted to remember the way Gai sounded when he came.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	5. Chapter 5

The alarm went off at five a.m. the next morning. Lee smacked the nightstand in his sleep, flailing, and realized the offending noise wasn’t coming from that direction. Lee sat up in a perfect imitation of the lead in a zombie movie, squinted, and looked around the room. Grunting, he threw the covers back and stood, his eyes still at half-mast. 

The alarm was under the bed, and Lee was more-or-less awake by the time he found and silenced the annoying thing. He hid the alarm in a rotation of places throughout the week. Lee wasn’t his best first thing in the morning.

Lee gracefully fell forward onto his hands and did his usual push-ups. Then he lifted himself into a handstand and rolled down to do his crunches. He finished the routine with extra squats and then began the search for clean running clothes.

It wasn’t until Lee yanked a white t-shirt out of the dresser with the Green Dojo logo emblazoned on its back that the events from the previous night shocked through him like an electric current. Lee’s eyes went wide.

Gai-sensei in near-darkness sweating and moaning…the way his pants looked bunched around his thighs – like Gai-sense was in too much of a hurry to remove them entirely. The way his hips rolled as he worked himself. The vague outline of Gai-sensei’s cock. The sound he made when he finally…

Lee shuddered and fell down onto the edge of the bed. He cradled his head in his hands and mentally thrashed himself for his disrespect. What Lee did last night was wrong…standing in that doorway, coming just before his sensei made that noise and…

Lee needed to put that sound and image out of his mind immediately or he’d have a heart attack.

Rubbing absently at his sore thumb, Lee’s mind whirled. What was he going to do? He was 99% sure that Gai-sensei didn’t know Lee…might have witnessed something private. However, Lee was supposed to go to the dojo today to help teach a class. 

So there was the little problem about how Lee was going to look Gai-sensei in the eye without blushing, stammering, or blurting out his shocking confession.

“I spied on you, Sensei, and I loved it. I loved it so much that I stood in your doorway and masturbated.”

Sadly, Lee could actually picture himself saying just that…and he could just as easily picture the look on Gai-sensei’s face.

It wasn’t a happy expression.

Lee groaned.

“And, by the way, I love you.”

Lee cursed. 

Yesterday, Lee could feel nothing but hopelessness after the failure of the Great Gift Plan. He wanted nothing more than to spend time with Gai-sensei to try to figure out his material weakness. 

Today all Lee wanted to do was stay as far away from his beloved mentor as possible to try and spare them both serious embarrassment.

Lee sat and thought about his situation for several minutes.

No, he really had no idea what he should do. He loved the man, his plan to tell him that failed, and now he’d seen…

Gai-sensei cursed and clutched at the couch, his hips jerking, his hand moving…

Lee shook himself. When in doubt, train. Lee grabbed his running shoes and left the house determined to sweat away his problems. He would run until things were clear.

Fifteen miles later, Lee slowed to a jog and dejectedly trudged up his uncle’s driveway. He still had no plan, no rationalization that made him feel better about spying on his sensei, and no clue how he could fix his situation. He didn’t like avoiding things– and by not confronting Gai-sensei, Lee felt like he was doing just that. 

But he couldn’t very well waltz into the dojo, confess all to Gai-sensei and hope for the best, could he? The ways that could go badly were too numerous and too frightening. No, confessing right away before Lee understood more about what everything meant and how he felt about it seemed like a bad plan.

Lee’s uncle was already gone by the time Lee made it to the fridge to get his PowerAde. There was a note, however, scribbled on the dry-erase board the two kept to pass along messages or make grocery lists.

“Lee – out near the Nara farm today doing some planting. If free, happy to have some help.”

Lee’s uncle owned a landscaping and site preparation business, and Lee helped out from time to time. After reading the note, a few things clicked into place for Lee. He reached for the phone.

The dojo wasn’t open, yet, and Lee knew it. He purposefully dialed the front office line and not the number that rang both the office and Gai-sensei’s home phone. 

“Gai-sensei, this is Lee. My uncle needs my help with work today, so I will not be in to help you teach. I hope this is not too troublesome for you, Sensei. I will see you soon. Thank you and have a great day.”

Lee hung up feeling like a cowardly ass. But he needed time – and working for his uncle could do that and allow Lee to be useful. Besides, it would help Lee start earning back the cash he’d spent on the gifts that Gai-sensei completely disregarded.

Despite Lee’s mental confusion over his feelings for Gai-sensei and all that had happened, his body was clear in its desires. The shower reminded Lee of the shower yesterday at the dojo, which reminded him of what happened after he left the building. Lee grimaced and cursed at himself but ended up roughly jerking off despite it all. He indulged himself in replaying the entire scene in slow motion one more time…and he didn’t stop himself from panting loudly as he came.

Lee didn’t have any great revelations while he worked on his uncle’s job site that day, but he did manage to exhaust himself to the point of collapse. That night he slept like the dead and woke up the next morning and repeated the act. His uncle was delighted, Lee managed to occupy his brain, and it seemed like the perfect solution.

On day four of Operation Avoid Thinking, Neji called Lee’s cell. Lee felt a large pang of guilt as he silenced the call, but told himself that he was too busy and would call Neji later.

Tenten called two hours later and Lee did the same thing to her call and used the same rationalization.

Ino called; same story.

After six days, Lee had managed to avoid teaching four classes at the dojo, ignore ten phone calls, (only one from Gai-sensei…Lee tried not to let it hurt) and work nearly 80 hours for his uncle. His bank account was extremely happy, but Lee felt numb.

On Saturday Lee decided uncharacteristically to sleep in, so at 9 a.m. he didn’t hear the pounding on the front door. He didn’t hear his uncle greet several callers who sounded rather annoyed when they asked where Lee might be. He didn’t hear the footsteps pounding up the stairs. 

He did, however, hear Ino when she threw open the door to his bedroom and bellowed, “Lee! What the HELL is wrong with you?”

When Lee finally gained enough consciousness to form coherent thoughts, Neji was calmly restraining Lee in a vicious arm lock, Neji’s foot in Lee’s back, Lee’s body mostly on the floor. 

“I think he’s awake now,” Neji said dryly. “And in the future, Ino, it’s really best not to startle Lee awake.”

“I get that,” Ino said from her position across the room. Her back was pressed into the wall and her eyes were a little wide. There was a ring of plastic and metal bits at her feet.

“What’s that?” Lee asked.

“Alarm clock.”

“Oh,” Lee said. 

“But your bed’s back together,” Tenten said, smoothing out the comforter. 

“Oh,” Lee said, still not quite with it.

“I’m going to let you go now, Lee, and Ino’s going to apologize.” Neji released Lee’s arm and the muscles screamed as blood flowed returned. 

“I’m sorry, Lee.”

Lee rubbed his arm and winced. “It is…well, okay now, Ino. I apologize for…whatever I did.” Lee couldn’t remember a thing, but then, he rarely did when this sort of thing happened. As a child he had night terrors and he never quite grew out of them.

Lee took a moment to look around the room and at his friends. All three were standing with their arms crossed, and they seemed a little…angry.

“Why are you here?” Lee asked. “Is everything okay?”

“No everything is not okay, Lee,” Ino said. “You sent flowers through one of my families’ competitors!”

Neji sighed.

“And you’ve been avoiding us for days!” Tenten added. “We’ve called, we’ve left messages. Where have you been?”

Lee gulped and nervously eyed the two irate women. “I was working for my uncle,” Lee explained. 

“You haven’t been to the dojo. Gai asked about you,” Neji said, his voice quieter but no less irritated.

“He did?” Lee hated how needy he sounded. All his problems rushed back at once, and he sighed and slumped against the wall.

“Lee?” Neji asked, head tilted and lovely face marred with a frown.

“This isn’t like you, Lee. You never ignore people or miss days at the dojo,” Tenten said.

Lee sat quietly, knowing he had to say something, but not sure what to actually say. For a moment, he felt that breaking feeling and thought he was going to…well, again, he wasn’t sure what would happen, but it wouldn’t be good. Lee took a deep breath or three and then looked up at his friends.

“I am sorry. I did not want to burden you all with my troubles. I am fine – really – and very sorry I did not-“

“Cut the bullshit, Lee,” Tenten said. Ino looked a little startled at that. 

“Tenten,” Neji said, warning in his voice.

“It is fine, Neji, she’s right. But Tenten, I do not wish to involve Ino in this.” Ino, Tenten, and Sakura were friends – though rather competitive with one another. Lee assumed she was here because Tenten invited her along.

“Oh come off it, Lee, you’re in love with Gai, I get it. Now what’s up?” Ino tossed long hair over her shoulder and sat down on the edge of the bed, crossing her legs.

“What?” Lee asked. “But…”

“Lee, you’re a bit obvious in your affections,” Tenten said, her voice kinder. Then she glared daggers at Neji. “Unlike some people I know.”

Neji ignored her and kept silent.

Tenten sighed. “Ino knows everything, Lee. She found out from a friend of hers at Bright Floral that you sent some flowers to Gai. Now, we care about you, and we’re here because we’re worried. Tell us what’s going on.” 

Lee sighed and sat up. Since everyone knew how he felt about Gai-sensei, specifics wouldn’t hurt. Maybe they could help him sort out this mess; that’s what friends did, after all. Besides, ignoring things was not (youthful) the way to go about life. 

Lee started with the conversation at lunch several weeks ago. Slowly he told the story of his grand plan based on Neji’s suggestion. 

“It was brilliant, really, Neji – and I thank you again.”

“But it didn’t work?” Neji prompted.

Lee sighed and listed the gifts he sent and Gai-sensei’s reaction to each of them – particularly the flowers. 

“Well, at least we know why you asked us about happy gifts,” Tenten commented.

Lee talked about Kakashi, how strange Lee felt around the man, how confusing it all was. His doubts and fears poured out in one long, rambling bout of what sounded entirely too close to self-pity for Lee’s taste. 

“And then, last week…” Lee stopped. Oh, no, he couldn’t tell them that. He could not betray Gai-sensei in such a way…not to mention himself. Lee blanched.

“Last week?” Tenten asked.

“Ah, yes, well, I trained and said good night to Gai-sensei, but I felt so angry at myself that I have not been able to go back.” There, that sounded plausible. And it was even mostly true.

“So let me get this straight,” Tenten said. “You sent gift after gift hoping it would make Gai happy so that you could…what, set the stage? Get down on one knee and declare love eternal?”

Lee nodded. That was accurate, yes.

Ino smacked herself in the forehead and Tenten glared at Neji. “This is your fault, you realize,” she said.

“For the record, I suggested one gift and for Lee to confess immediately.”

“But I could not!” Lee protested. “Kakashi was there, and-“

“So you just kept sending gifts and cards hoping for a different outcome?” Ino asked. “Have you ever heard of the definition of insanity?”

Lee frowned.

“Doing the same thing over and over and hoping for a different result,” Neji supplied.

“Oh…” Lee hadn’t really thought of it like that. Suddenly he felt very stupid.

“Lee,” Neji said. “It’s okay. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Ino snorted. “Wrong? No. But that seems like an awful lot of trouble when you could just ask the man out.”

Three sets of eyes turned to look at Ino.

“What? Didn’t anyone think of that?”

“Of course,” Neji nearly hissed. “But-“

“I could never!” Lee gasped, horrified. Ask Gai-sensei out? On a date? That was…madness! He’d die a thousand deaths of embarrassment. And what if Gai-sensei turned him down? It was plausible, really, given Gai-sensei’s reactions to gifts. And Lee had never known Gai-sensei to date. What made Lee think he was special?

Lee sat on the floor with one hand over his chest, pale and hyperventilating.

“And this is why I didn’t suggest it,” Neji said pointedly to Ino. “Lee does things in his own way.”

The girl huffed and shrugged. “Well, his way didn’t work. Asking Gai out is the most direct way to get results. Get it over with and move on.”

“Like you asked Sasuke out?” Tenten said to Ino.

“Found out he was gay, now, didn’t I?” Ino shot back. 

Neji sighed again. “Lee, it does make sense.”

Lee looked at Neji, stricken. “But…but…I would have no idea what to say!”

“We’ll help you!” Tenten said cheerfully. She went to Lee’s desk and grabbed a notebook and a pen. “We’ll write out what you can say and then you’ll call him and do it. Simple!”

It wasn’t simple; it was suicide. 

“But I can’t just…call Sensei and tell him I want to date him,” Lee said, his voice high.

“You don’t have to, silly!” Ino said. “You just ask him to a movie and maybe tell him while you guys are out that you’d like to make it a regular thing. Honestly, it’s pretty basic.”

“A movie! Perfect!” Tenten said and scribbled faster.

“But-“

“Lee,” Neji interrupted. “Setting the stage doesn’t appear to be working, so perhaps you should be more direct. Get alone with Gai in a setting outside the dojo and explain how you feel. Gai cares very deeply for you – I’m sure he’ll be kind.” 

Neji made sense. Of course he did – Neji always made sense. Lee envied his friend’s calm and tried to mimic it, forcing thoughts about how in the world he would manage ticket prices, (who should pay?), transportation, (Lee didn’t have a car) and movie taste, (what in the hell should they see?) out of his mind. He let out a loud breath.

“You think this is the next step?” Lee asked the room.

“Yes,” said three voices.

“And here’s your script!” Tenten said happily. Lee scanned it and choked.

“I am NOT saying that!”

Neji leaned over Lee’s shoulder and read. Then he laughed – a rare thing for Neji. 

“I don’t think Lee wants to tell Gai he can jump him on the way to the theater.”

Tenten grinned. “Yes he does.”

“I do n-“ Lee trailed off, the indignation dying on his tongue. Okay, maybe he did. A little.

Gai on the couch in the dark living room…

Okay, a lot.

Right.

“See?” Tenten said.

Neji rolled his eyes, and Ino snorted.

“So, what are you waiting for?” Tenten said. “Just cross out that line and call the man!”

“What?” Lee’s heart flew into his throat. “Right now?”

“Yes!” Ino and Tenten said together.

“With you here?” Lee squawked. 

“We have to make sure you do it, Lee.” Ino grinned. “Wouldn’t want you to back out at the last minute and start your crazy gift-giving again.”

Tenten dug around in Lee’s backpack and pulled out his phone then tossed it to him. Lee caught it with one hand. 

“It is still a bit early,” Lee hedged. 

“Well, you want to go tonight, don’t you?” Ino asked as though this was obvious.

Lee’s pulse ratcheted up a few hundred notches. Breathe…breathe…try not to think about how you’re going to ask this man on a date after you saw him…

Don’t think about it.

Lee flipped open the phone. He looked at the script and nodded. “Okay, here goes.”

As the phone to the dojo rang, Lee thought this exercise was much like ripping off a bandage. If you did it fast, you didn’t feel the sting until after it was over.

Gai-sensei answered on the third ring. “Green Dojo, this is Gai Maito. How may I help you today?”

“Gai-sensei, it’s Lee.” His voice shook and Tenten gave him an encouraging thumbs-up.

“Lee! I’m so glad it’s you!” 

Lee’s heart flip-flopped. 

“I’ve been worried. Neji told me on Tuesday that he hadn’t heard from you. Are you sick?”

“No, Sensei, not sick. I have been helping my uncle.”

“How kind of you, Lee. I should have known it was something like that.” The relief in Gai-sensei’s voice was obvious even to Lee. Maybe his sensei had missed him? 

“The classes haven’t been the same without my star pupil. Are you coming in today for training?”

“Uh…” Lee faltered. Without missing a beat, Tenten held up a sheet of notebook paper. In large, block letters it said, I WANTED TO ASK YOU SOMETHING.

“I wanted to ask you something,” Lee read.

“Oh? Of course, Lee! Anything at all.”

“Are you busy this evening?” Lee read, his voice sounding more than a little rehearsed, but Lee didn’t care. If he just read the words, he didn’t have to think about what they meant.

“No, I’m not,” Gai-sensei replied.

Sweat broke out on Lee’s forehead as Tenten held up the next sheet of paper. “Would – you - like – to – go – see – a – mov - ie? I have heard good things about The Ugly Truth.”

Gai-sensei laughed and Lee held his breath. 

“Lee, that sounds delightful!”

“It does?” Lee said, astonished. Tenten flailed and tried to get Lee to look at the notebook. 

“I’m so glad that you’re…that you’re not…” Gai-sensei stumbled over his words and Lee frowned. 

“That I’m not what?” Lee asked.

Gai-sensei laughed, but it sounded forced. “Nothing, nothing. Just glad you’re okay. I’ve missed you this past week. And I’d love to go see a movie – I haven’t been out of the dojo in weeks.”

Tenten frantically tapped the notebook page.

“Then can you pick me up around six? The movie starts at 6:30.”

“I will see you at six, Lee.”

Lee felt dizzy and swayed. Neji grabbed his shoulder.

“Great, Gai-sensei. I’ll see you then.”

“Have a youthful day, Lee!” 

When Lee shut the phone, Tenten and Ino shrieked. Neji winced.

“Now we need to plan what you’re going to wear!” Ino said and flew to Lee’s closet. “Do you have anything that isn’t green?”

Tenten grabbed her phone and began to punch keys.

“What are you doing?” Neji asked.

“Texting Sakura. She’ll be thrilled.”

“Sakura?” Lee whimpered. 

“It’ll be okay, Lee. Just breathe,” Neji said and patted his shoulder.

Lee couldn’t wrap his brain around Gai-sensei’s acceptance of their date. It’d been so easy – simple. Lee still didn’t know how he would react when he saw the man again considering all that had happened, but with Ino in his closet and Tenten relaying the details to Sakura and Neji’s calm reassurances…Lee couldn’t help but feel hopeful. 

“Lee do you own ANY clothing that actually shows OFF your body?” Ino asked, exasperated.

Lee’s eyes got wide.

“Breathe,” Neji said.

Lee tried.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	6. Chapter 6

Lee stood in the kitchen and drank Pepto straight from the bottle. The butterflies in his stomach were threatening to grow teeth, and Lee’s pulse refused to slow.

Gai-sensei would be there any minute. For their date.

Lee shoved the medicine back in the cabinet and grabbed a tin of mints from the junk drawer. He popped six into his mouth and chewed, ignoring his burning sinuses and tingling tongue.

Just breathe.

Well, at least the mints helped with the airflow.

Lee fidgeted with the buttons on his shirt and hoped Gai-sensei didn’t think he looked like a complete idiot. After going through his entire closet, Ino finally found a dark blue button-down shirt that Lee kept for special occasions.

“Like a date with your true love?” Ino teased.

“No…like a funeral.”

“…Right.”

Then it was time to find the perfect pair of jeans. After discarding at least six pairs, Ino finally found some she thought were suitable. Well, almost suitable.

“No, you may not rip out the knees!” Lee cried as Ino held up a pair of scissors. 

After Ino and Tenten lamented over Lee’s lack of shoe options, they made him try on the ensemble. Ino forced Lee to untuck the shirt at gunpoint.

“Honestly, Lee, no one wears clothing like that these days. It’s uncool.”

After determining that Lee owned no decent undershirts, (apparently the Hanes variety simply wouldn’t do), Ino eyed Neji.

“Neji. Shirt. Now.”

Looking faintly amused, Neji removed his gray t-shirt, which turned out to be much nicer than any shirt Lee owned, period. It was silky and had a faint, silver filigree pattern on one side. It was also skintight as Neji was slighter of build. That made Lee nervous and vaguely uncomfortable, but apparently the effect was good for the girls. 

“Neji’s shirt under the blue one, open, over the jeans, with the Docs,” Ino said. “And I think that’s just the best we can do.”

After that bit of torture, the trio left – Neji in one of Lee’s own t-shirts, which dwarfed him – and Lee spent the day purposely avoiding thought. He cleaned the house – his uncle staying out of Lee’s way except to make him lunch – and made a poor attempt at watching TV. Lee nearly wore out the hinge on his cell phone checking the time every fifteen minutes.

Blessedly, the afternoon finally passed and Lee allowed himself to shower and get ready at five. Then it was downstairs to pace. Lee’s uncle remained in his office, and Lee was grateful. He didn’t know what in the world he could say to explain his behavior. 

Lee heard a car at one minute to six, and his mouth went dry. 

Okay – this is it, Lee thought. I will face him and not immediately think about what I saw at his house. I will relax and enjoy this. My friends think this is right, and it feels like the next logical step. Granted, it also feels like my gut is on fire and I have wild badgers living in my trousers, but if I overlook that, it does feel rather good. It’s certainly exciting.

Lee drew himself up and reminded himself that there was no challenge hard work and determination could not overcome. Nerves be damned, he was doing this.

Gai managed to knock once before Lee opened the door. 

“Good evening, Gai-sen…sei…” 

Gai’s smile faded into a faintly perplexed expression as he and Lee stared at one another. Gai wore a plain white t-shirt, jeans, sandals, and a five o’ clock shadow. There was a patch of dirt on one knee of his jeans, like he’d been kneeling in the garden not fifteen minutes ago. He looked thrown together, casual…

…and definitely not dressed for a date.

Understanding struck Lee like a knife in the stomach, but he managed to recover quickly. He could put it all together later – right now he had to say something to explain his appearance.

“Ah…Lee…you look…nice.” Gai looked pained.

“Laundry!” Lee said too loudly. Gai jumped. 

“I was busy all day and did not manage to get to the Saturday chores.” Lee made a show of leaning out the door. “The air is nice and warm. I thought it would be cooler!”

“It’s been hot and dry all week,” Gai said.

“Well, then I will not need this.” Lee plucked at the dress shirt and immediately took it off and threw it over a chair. His mind was going in a hundred directions, his nerves felt fried, and only the anger he felt over his cowardice and stupidity made him turn back to face Gai-sensei.

“We should go,” Lee said and smiled. “I like to watch the previews.”

“Lee…” Gai said and Lee paused. Gai looked like he was about to say something but then his expression changed. He shook his head and smiled. “Of course,” he said.

“I am leaving now, Uncle!” Lee called, closed the front door, and walked down the sidewalk heading for the driveway. He was angry, but he didn’t really know at whom or why. He was hurt – and for that he blamed himself. Lee yanked open the passenger door and carefully put folders and paperwork into the backseat. 

Maybe Gai-sensei didn’t have time to dress…maybe he just felt so comfortable with Lee that he didn’t think appearance mattered. Not that it did…but…once again, Lee had entirely different expectations for how this experience should go. And just like last time, those expectations were dying a slow and painful death at the bottom of Should Have Known Better Gorge.

Lee shook his head and berated himself for acting like an idiot when he should focus on other things. He could still tell Gai-sensei how he felt. He could still have a great time. Feeling this self-conscious wasn’t like Lee in the least. Of course, Lee’s confidence had taken several major blows over the past few weeks, so maybe that explained some things. And all of those blows revolved around the man now climbing in behind the wheel and starting the car.

Smile, Lee. Hard work, perseverance…all is never lost.

“I’m glad you called, Lee,” Gai said as he backed out of the driveway. “It’s been lonely without you. The students miss you.”

But what about you, Sensei? Lee thought. 

“And…” Gai-sensei trailed off, and Lee’s heart hammered in his ears.

“Yes, Sensei?”

“Ah, well, nothing. I was a little concerned that I’d done something to…upset you.”

“No!” Lee said emphatically. “You are...everything is...” Lee fumbled.

“Good, Lee,” Gai said, helping Lee out. Lee was grateful; he wasn’t sure how to comfort his sensei without lying a bit. Things weren’t exactly fine, after all.

“So I’ll see you around more this next week?”

“The job for my uncle is almost done, so I should be back to my usual schedule soon,” Lee said.

“You’re such a good boy, Lee,” Gai said. “Your uncle is lucky to have you.”

Life would probably be easier if every other word out of Gai-sensei’s mouth was not some form of compliment to Lee. It made things so much harder for some reason.

“So, what’s this movie about?” Gai asked.

Lee panicked. He really had no clue what the movie was about. The girls chose it, and Lee didn’t think to look it up.

“Um, I think it is a comedy,” Lee said. 

“Sounds good,” Gai said. “I haven’t been out to see a movie in…” Gai laughed. “Well, too long, apparently. This was a great idea, Lee!” Gai beamed at his passenger.

Oh, yeah. Great idea. The butterflies in Lee’s gut had strong opinions on the merit of said idea. 

Now, should I tell him I’m in love with him in the car or maybe during the movie itself? 

Lee grimaced.

“I am glad you agreed to the, erm, plan,” Lee said, lamely. “Maybe we could do this on a regular basis?” Lee stopped breathing.

Ohgodohgod…did he just say that? 

Gai smiled, his eyes on the road in front of them. “Lee, it’s very nice of you to ask me,” Gai said. Lee thought he sounded almost sad. 

“But you don’t need to worry about me. I’m fine staying in and being an old hermit. You go out – enjoy your friends! Don’t think you have to drag me along.” 

“Sensei, I am not dragging you along,” Lee said, horrified at the thought. “I like spending time with you.”

“And I with you, Lee,” Gai said, his voice still tinged with melancholy. It made Lee feel like he was breaking inside, and he wanted to touch Gai-sensei. But he didn’t know how that would be received.

“Gai-sensei, I am in love-“

The car swerved off the road, hit a rumble strip, and then was back on track. Lee grabbed the door handle, his head whipping to look at Gai-sensei to see if he was all right. For a brief second, his teacher looked horrified. Lee’s heart clenched.

“-with someone,” Lee finished. He hated himself in that moment.

Gai licked his lips and said nothing. Lee’s heart sank with every passing second, and part of him despaired. 

“That person is very lucky, Lee. Good for you both.” Then Gai-sensei seemed to rally. He stopped at a light and turned to face Lee, grinning and giving his pupil a thumbs-up.

“Such good news, Lee!” Gai-sensei said. “I’m so happy for you! Sometime soon you’ll have to bring her in and let me meet her.”

Of course Gai-sensei would assume Lee was straight. The only person he’d ever dated was Sakura. Lee was stunned into silence. The look on his mentor’s face confused Lee terribly. Hope flared inside him for a brief second…but Lee snuffed out that brief candle. If Gai-sensei felt love for Lee, the man would tell him. Gai-sensei espoused honesty and making sure you told loved ones that you cared at least once a day. Lee would know if Gai-sensei loved him as more than just a student or a surrogate child.

Wouldn’t he? 

But did his terrified look mean he was worried about…losing Lee? And if Gai-sensei assumed he was straight, then did that mean that…wait…

Lee clutched his head. He was terrifically confused and didn’t want to speak before he figured it out. What if he said the wrong thing? Was there a RIGHT thing to say?

“Ah, youth,” Gai-sensei said. “I envy you, Lee. Open and honest love is such a beautiful thing.”

“You make it sound like you could not love openly or honestly, Gai-sensei,” Lee said. He felt brave for making the observation.

Gai-sensei laughed. “Oh, I think the time for love is far behind me.”

“Sensei,” Lee said, a little angry by his sensei’s continued self-deprecation. He did love this man, after all. “You are 33, not 93.”

Gai chuckled. “True, Lee, but what I really mean is that…” He paused. “Well, I think that the opportunity for me has passed.”

Lee frowned. “You missed an opportunity to love openly and honestly?”

Gai nodded. “In a way. More like the one I love is simply not available to me.”

Lee struggled to separate emotions from doubts from general confusion. “Is he…deceased?” Lee asked.

“Oh no!” Gai said. “Just not…well, not available.” Gai smiled at Lee.

Lee’s frown deepened. “Is he married?”

Gai shifted in the seat and eyed Lee from the corner of his eye. “No, Lee, and why so many questions?”

“I do not understand, Sensei.” Frustration won the battle with Lee’s nerves, and he continued. “You are single and amazing and you say you love someone who is also single. Yet you cannot be with this person. Even if this person is with someone, he should know how you feel. You always tell me to be honest with everything I do, so I do not understand why…or how something like that could happen to you. Why you would allow it to happen.”

“Oh, Lee…” Gai sighed and propped one elbow against the window. He rubbed a hand over his face. Lee waited for Gai-sensei to speak like a murderer awaiting a verdict.

“It’s just wrong, Lee.” Gai’s voice nearly cracked with the quiet admission. “Even if the man knew how I felt, even if he felt the same…it’s wrong, and that’s just it.”

Now Lee really didn’t understand. How could love ever be wrong? 

“But how-“

“Lee, please…I love that you are so concerned for me.” Gai looked at Lee and smiled a sad smile. “That touches me deeply. But I much rather talk about you and your love. That is so much more important than my petty troubles.”

“I…disagree, Gai-sensei,” Lee said, quietly.

“You’re such a good boy, Lee. Now, tell me: how long have you been in love?”

“I think…a long time, Sensei.”

“That’s wonderful, Lee…so wonderful.”

***

Lee survived the movie – he even laughed with Gai-sensei at a couple of scenes. Both men agreed the movie was actually terrible, however. That’s the last time Lee would ever let Tenten pick a movie.

For the rest of the night, neither man said anything above love. They talked about class, the dojo, training. Lee mentioned he’d like to increase his weekly run mileage to 50. Gai talked to Lee about a new protein shake that Hinata’s health club sold.

Gai dropped Lee off at his house around nine. Lee opened the car door and paused. This was his last chance to say something: to confess. Lee looked at Gai-sensei and wanted to feel some of that youthful enthusiasm Gai-sensei was always referencing.

Instead, Lee felt angry. And tired.

“I’ll see you Monday?” Gai asked.

“Of course, Sensei.” 

“Good, then. Sleep well, Lee. Take care.”

Lee got out of the car and shut the door. He stood and watched as Gai-sensei’s car drove away. He didn’t berate himself, he didn’t try to figure anything out, and he didn’t try to find something positive about the situation.

Instead, Lee turned, walked to the door of the garage and went inside. He let himself into the basement of the house and turned on the lights. He carefully removed Neji’s shirt and then went over to the punching bag hanging in the corner. Without wrapping his hands or pausing, he started pounding on the bag. Things were always simpler when he trained.

Lee loved Gai-sensei more than anything else in the world.

Altering his stance, Lee slammed his fist into the bag in a vicious right hook. He followed through with an arm block.

Gai-sensei was not involved with anyone, but he loved someone he felt he could not have.

Blood splattered on the bag as Lee alternated left and right full-bodied jabs, his shoulders beginning to ache.

Even if by some miracle of fate and destiny, Lee was the one Gai-sensei felt he couldn’t have, it didn’t matter. Gai-sensei thought his love was wrong. Impure. Immoral.

Lee fell back and spun a kick into the bag that sent it flying. Moving with the bag, Lee landed another kick in the opposite direction.

So it didn’t matter that Lee couldn’t understand that sentiment. The strength of Gai-sensei’s convictions was legendary, and Lee despaired at the thought of trying to change the man’s mind.

Steadying the bag with his hands, Lee kneed his right leg into it faster than a bystander could have counted the reps. He repeated the motion until his leg simply would no longer lift, then he switched to the left leg.

Anguish filled him when he thought of his sensei’s reaction to his gifts. He let out a bitter laugh when he thought of his own naïveté. 

Lee moved again and did a series of uppercuts: fast, strong, deadly. Fists, arms, knees, fists. Faster. Do it faster.

But the absolute worst part of the entire thing…

Lee hit the bag harder, the chains groaning. He grunted with the strain, sweat poured off his skin, and his hands were completely numb.

...was that no matter whom it was that Gai-sensei loved…

The door at the top of the stairs opened and Lee’s uncle called down to his nephew.

…Gai obviously didn’t think his love meant a damn to that person. Didn’t think he was worthy. 

And that made Lee very, very angry.

“Lee!”

Lee spun and flew, landing a kick that tore the punching bag off its chains and sent it crashing into the cinderblock wall. Lee moved like he was going to continue – kick the bag while it was down. 

But strong arms wrapped around Lee from behind, and for a second Lee fought the urge to hurt his own uncle. He added that to the top of the list of reasons he didn’t like himself, and then he slumped to the basement floor.

“It’s okay,” Lee’s uncle said. “Whatever’s happened, it’s okay. I’m here.”

Lee panted and couldn’t shake the feeling of numbness that clouded his mind. It made him feel so tired…

“Your hands, dear God…Lee, come on. Let’s get you cleaned up.”

Lee let his uncle half carry him up the stairs, let him get Lee to a sink, let him wash his bleeding fingers. The movement and the pain felt very distant. Lee couldn’t form words though he wanted to explain and felt he should. Lee didn’t want to worry his uncle, but using his voice seemed so difficult.

“Let me get the bandages, Lee. Don’t move, okay? Please?”

Lee nodded dumbly and his uncle left him for a moment to get the first aide kit. When he returned, Lee let his uncle carefully wrap his hands and wrists. Even the skin on the back of Lee’s arms was raw and bleeding, bruising forming rapidly. 

“Are you okay?” Lee’s uncle whispered, his gray brows furrowed as he secured the bandages onto Lee’s forearm.

Lee nodded, his hair falling into his eyes.

“Can you tell me what happened?”

Lee shook his head…no, please, don’t make him talk about it. There were anvils tied to the information; it was too heavy and hard and complex.

“I am sorry…” Lee whispered.

“Just tell me if I can do anything.”

Lee shook his head. “I will be fine, Uncle. I just need to sleep.”

The older man regarded Lee for a moment and then finally nodded. Lee let his uncle walk with him to his bedroom, remove his shoes, and didn’t even feel too silly when his uncle tucked him into bed. 

“If you need anything, please call for me.” 

Lee nodded, his eyes already closing.

Feeling defeated and emotionally drained, Lee slept.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	7. Chapter 7

Lee felt a light, gentle pressure on his back and stirred sleepily. For a few minutes, he didn’t try to figure out what it was. He just enjoyed. 

After a while, he recognized the sensation: someone was rubbing his back in soothing circles. Lee knew immediately it was his uncle. Back when the night terrors plagued Lee the worst – right after the car crash that took his parents’ lives and left him crippled – his uncle would wake Lee up like this. It was one of the few ways to rouse Lee from a dead sleep that didn’t agitate Lee’s unconscious wrath.

For a moment, Lee started to sit up, greet his uncle, and ask what was wrong. Then Lee felt the ache in his arms, which was quickly eclipsed by the ache in his chest. For a terrifying second, he felt close to breaking again. Something inside him flexed, bent, and thankfully quieted as Lee’s mind went blank. The numb sensation stole over his limbs and Lee closed his eyes and sighed.

“Lee,” his uncle whispered. “I’m sorry to wake you, son, but Neji called.”

When Lee didn’t say anything, his uncle continued. “He asked about you, and I told him that you weren’t doing very well. Lee, he didn’t even give me a chance to say anything else. Said he was on his way over.”

Distantly, Lee felt both happy and irritated by that. He didn’t sort out why.

“I just wanted you to know. I hope that was the right thing to do.”

Lee rolled over and saw his uncle’s face full of concern. He was so lucky to have someone care for him…and with that thought, the breaking feeling was back. Lee shoved it away.

“Thank you, Uncle. It is fine.”

The man nodded. “Can I get you anything?”

“No, thank you.”

“You’ll talk to Neji, right?”

Lee sighed and rolled back over. “Just send him up I guess,” Lee said. He didn’t want to think about it. Neji arriving seemed so far away and just too much trouble.

Lee’s uncle stayed for a moment longer and then quietly left.

Lee drifted back to sleep. Some time later, he heard voices in the hallway outside his bedroom.

“Is he awake?” Neji asked.

“He was when I left. I don’t know what happened, Neji, and his hands…”

“I’ll talk to him, sir.”

“Thank you.”

Lee’s eyelids felt like lead weights. He heard the door open and close, heard Neji’s quiet footsteps. Neji paused for a moment, and Lee knew he should sit up and greet his friend. Instead he just stirred a bit under the blanket.

Neji walked around to the other side of the bed, and Lee felt the air shift as his friend kneeled on the floor next to the nightstand.

“Lee, I know you’re awake,” Neji said, his voice tender. 

Lee sighed. “Hi, Neji,” he said.

“What did he say, Lee?” 

Thoughts threatened to break through the fog in Lee’s brain, and he rolled over onto his back. 

“Lee?” When his friend didn’t answer, Neji rose and sat on the edge of the bed. “I’ve never seen you like this. What did he do?”

Lee shook his head and put an arm over his face. The pressure in his chest was back, the numbness fading, and Lee mentally scrambled to pull it back. He didn’t want to think or feel anything. 

“Please just leave me alone,” Lee said.

“I’ll kill him,” Neji said, and the tone in his voice made Lee sit up and look at his friend. Neji’s mouth was pulled into a thin line, his gray eyes sparking with anger.

“I swear it, Lee. If that muscle-bound idiot did anything to hurt you-“

“Stop it, Neji!” Lee cried. Neji’s eyes grew wide at the force of Lee’s words.

“He didn’t do anything. Gai-sensei would never, it’s not-“ Lee gestured wildly, the bandages on his arms pulling in unpleasant ways.

Then Lee stopped because the numbness was suddenly completely gone, and whatever it was that threatened for days to break finally snapped. A pain flew through his chest that Lee thought would surely kill him, and the dam holding back a tsunami of feelings broke; emotion flooding his system in an awful wave. His face twisted and scrunched with the pain.

“Neji, he can’t love me,” Lee managed to gasp. “He won’t, thinks it’s wrong, couldn’t tell him what I feel, such a coward, feel so stupid, and-“ Lee spoke in rapid fire, his voice choppy and raw. He felt frantic, like he was flying apart.

Neji moved with swift grace and pulled Lee into the circle of his arms. He held Lee with a ferocity Lee didn’t know Neji possessed, and Lee collapsed against his friend. He buried his face against Neji’s neck and wrapped his bandaged arms around Neji’s waist. For a moment Lee fought against the tide, determined not to completely break down. That was un-youthful and unproductive. He needed to…Lee couldn’t think what he needed to do. But giving in didn’t seem right somehow.

Neji’s arms tightened. “Lee, it’s just me. Let go a little so you can tell me what happened.”

Lee knew Neji didn’t mean to physically let go…and taking those words as the permission Lee needed, Lee clutched at his friend and sobbed. The frustration, anxiety, and confusion of weeks poured through Lee’s system. He felt awful: guilty, stupid, childish, and angry. 

Neji just held on and let the emotional gambit run its course. He rocked slowly back and forth and ran his hand over Lee’s hair in a soothing gesture. Lee actually thought in the middle of it all that this behavior was a bit odd for Neji. But Lee didn’t care…he was just grateful Neji was there and willing to hold him for a while.

When Lee’s breathing returned to somewhat normal, Neji carefully leaned over and grabbed the box of tissues on the nightstand. He handed one to Lee but kept his arms around him while Lee wiped his face. 

“Now,” Neji said. “Tell me why I should let him live.”

Lee sighed and snuggled into Neji. His chest still ached and now he couldn’t breathe through his nose. This love business was horrible. 

Lee haltingly told the story of his date with Gai-sensei, and it was surprisingly short. Neji listened and hugged him during the most difficult details.

“And then you came home and beat the shit out of the bag?” Neji asked.

Lee nodded.

“And bloodied your hands?”

Lee nodded again.

Neji made an affirmative noise. “Your uncle told me that’s how he found you.”

The two were silent for a moment, and Lee just enjoyed the sound of Neji’s heartbeat. 

“Lee, I really have just one question, then.”

“Yeah?” Lee sniffed.

“Do you still want to pursue this man?”

Lee flashed back over the past few weeks trying to be analytical instead of emotional. It looked pretty hopeless to Lee.

“Neji, he doesn’t…” Lee couldn’t finish that sentence, so he tried a different one.

“I don’t think there’s anything else I can do.” Lee felt himself choking up again and hated it. Giving up wasn’t in Lee’s DNA, but he was at a loss.

Neji sighed. “I disagree.” Neji reluctantly let Lee sit up to look him in the eye.

“You do?” Lee asked, disbelief obvious in his voice.

Neji closed his eyes and tilted his head to one side. “It is obvious to me from your recounting the events that Gai loves you.”

Lee’s heart thumped a little harder at that. Part of him hated the sheer happiness those simple words provided. But most of him was just grateful for the life vest.

“You think so? You think it is me that…he…”

Neji nodded, meeting Lee’s hopeful gaze. “I think he’s an idiot. A masochistic, overly-complicated idiot. But yes, I think that idiot loves you.”

Lee frowned. “Neji…”

Neji waved one hand. “My opinion on the man is made only slightly better by your love for him, Lee. And obviously I don’t know what Gai feels for certain. But I think I could arrange for a few things.” Neji smiled wistfully. “It’s selfish, really.”

Lee looked at Neji in confusion. “How is you helping me selfish, Neji?”

Neji sighed and shifted on the bed. He put both hands on either side of Lee’s face, gray eyes locking onto dark brown. 

“Because my overly-sweet, enthusiastic, and uncompromising friend…if this works out for you, it will give hope to the rest of us poor unrequited fools.” Neji leaned and kissed Lee on the forehead.

“Neji…” Lee whispered, his heart suddenly aching for a whole new reason. 

Neji shook his head, long hair swaying. “No, Lee. Today and this moment are about you. You’re all right to go take a shower.” 

It wasn’t a question; Neji just knew these things. Lee did feel less like hiding in bed and more like bathing, so his friend was right.

“And you need one.” Neji wrinkled his aristocratic nose.

Lee snorted. 

“More company will be here soon, so hurry.”

“Who else is coming?” Lee asked. “And why?”

Neji gently nudged Lee off the bed and toward his bathroom, crawling over the rumpled covers after him. 

“The Committee to Make Gai Realize He’s a Bloody Fool is coming,” Neji answered with a completely straight face. “And they’re coming because I texted everyone on the way over here.”

Lee gulped.

“Don’t worry – I’ll tell everyone the details so you won’t have to go through the story again. Just take a shower and try not to think too much. Let me do that, okay?” 

“Neji…thank you.” Lee felt himself tearing up again. 

Neji made an exasperated noise but hugged Lee to him. “We all adore you, Lee. Now go.”

Lee hugged Neji back fiercely and heard vertebrae pop. Then he turned to head to his shower. Lee had to admit that he felt better now than he did last night or this morning. Neji was beyond a good friend, and Lee felt warm as he thought of how lucky he was to have Neji in his life. He didn’t feel hopeful, exactly, more just curious. Because if Neji thought there was more to be done, then obviously there was something Lee didn’t see. Neji was, after all, Lee’s Most Brilliant Person. 

***

Showered and shaved, Lee ran down the steps wondering what Neji was planning. Hearing voices in the family room next to the kitchen, Lee wandered in and stopped in his tracks.

Neji stood next to a bay window speaking quietly to Lee’s uncle. Tenten and Ino sat on the ancient and oh-so-comfy couch talking in whispers. But it was the sight and sound of Sakura that surprised Lee the most. She stood with one hand on her hip, cell phone to her ear, and determination written all over her face.

“Don’t you dare take this lightly,” Sakura said with deadly intent into the phone. “I don’t care if you were kidding or not. We’ll be there by six. Have your part of the plan ready.” She clicked the phone shut and smiled at Lee.

“There you are,” Sakura said walking over and hugging him. “It’s good to see you, Lee.”

Lee smiled and blushed as he always did when Sakura was in the room. Lee was gay, not blind. She was just as beautiful as always.

“Thank you for coming, Sakura – everyone. But um…what is going on, exactly?”

Lee’s uncle clapped Neji on the shoulder affectionately and turned. “I’ll just leave you kids to it.” The elder man walked over to Lee and took his adopted nephew by the upper arms.

“Lee, you know I love you. I’m here for you no matter what, so if you need anything at all…” 

Lee swallowed, understanding that this was quite the speech for his uncle. The man thought actions were always more impressive than words. Lee smiled and nodded.

“Thank you,” Lee said, his voice thick.

Lee’s uncle clapped Lee on the shoulder in the exact way he had Neji, and then he left the room.

“We’re here to cheer you up, Lee,” Tenten said from the couch. 

“Oh, well, thank you but I do not really need-“

“It’s okay, Lee, we’re happy to do it,” Sakura said. “Neji’s filled us in on what’s happened so far, and we all agree his plan for moving forward makes sense. I’ve divided it into phases so that you don’t feel too overwhelmed. Now, Ino? Did you bring your scissors?”

Lee looked from Sakura to Ino and back to Sakura. “Scissors?” Lee’s brain struggled to connect sharp objects to improving his mood.

“We have a plan, Lee, but it’s going to involve some…changes for you,” Neji said. 

“Got ‘em!” Ino said triumphantly as she pulled a pair of professional-looking scissors out of her purse. “Now, who wants to hold him down?”

“Hold me down…what?” Lee wasn’t sure if his nerves could take this today.

“Lee,” Sakura said, walking to him and putting her hands on his shoulders. She was nearly as tall as he was, so she looked him dead in the eye. “If you want to get Gai to pay attention to you, then you have to stop looking so much like him. Now, obviously, there’s much more to this than just physical appearance, but trust me when I say this is just the first part of the plan. We’re going to make that man realize what a gem you are and that he’s insane to just let you languish. So trust us, okay?”

Lee blinked. “Um…okay?”

“Good. Now sit over there and let Ino work. I’ve got a phone call or two to make. Neji?” Sakura looked expectantly at Neji and then pointed to Lee. Then she pivoted on one heel and left the room.

Sakura was truly a scarily driven woman.

Neji grabbed Lee and sat him down in a chair. Ino draped a towel around Lee’s shoulders, and Neji covered the floor with another one. Then the scissors started snipping and the hair falling. Lee wasn’t really concerned – his hair was just habit, after all. And besides…if his friends wanted to do all the thinking for him today of all days Lee was absolutely okay with that.

“Tenten? Product,” Ino demanded. Tenten smacked a pot of something that smelled like mint into the other girls’ hand. Ino artfully slathered the stuff into Lee’s thick hair, humming a little as she went.

“I did not know you cut hair, Ino.”

“Sure,” Ino said. “My mom taught me how.”

“Oh, Lee!” Tenten squealed. “You look so good!” 

Ino handed Lee a mirror, and Lee got a good look at himself. His hair was shorter, choppier, and standing up in places like he just rolled out of bed. 

“Um…thank you?” Lee managed. He would trust the girls’ judgment on this one.

The doorbell rang. 

“I’ll get it!” Sakura called through the house. 

“Someone else is here?” Lee asked Neji. Exactly how many people were on this so-called committee, anyway?

“Time for Phase II!” Tenten said enthusiastically. Neji rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

Lee stood up and turned to face the door just in time to see Sasuke walk into the room.

“Sasuke?” Lee choked. 

“Lee,” the man replied. He looked impeccable as ever in skinny jeans and a complicated t-shirt arrangement that appeared to be made of several layers. His hair was flawless, skin pale and radiant, and eyes lined in the perfect amount of liner to make them appear huge and mysterious. Other than his self-satisfied expression, he was gorgeous, Lee thought.

Lee didn’t really want to ask what Phase II entailed if Sasuke was involved. He’d heard some fairly insane stories about him and Naruto.

“Lee, meet your fashion consultant,” Sakura said, gesturing to Sasuke. 

“My what?” Lee asked.

“You’re going shopping with Sasuke for some clothes, now,” Neji said helpfully.

“And to the spa,” Sakura added. For some reason Neji actually grinned, covered his mouth, and shook his head.

Lee’s palms began to sweat.

“Ah, Sakura, that is extremely nice of you – and of Sasuke,” Lee said and nodded at the beautiful man. “But I really do not have the finances to shop where…ah, Sasuke would shop.” It was the most polite way to say that Sasuke spent more on a pair of shoes than Lee spent on his entire wardrobe. 

“Oh don’t worry, Lee. It’s on Sasuke.”

“It is?” both Sasuke and Lee exclaimed at the same time.

“Yes,” Sakura said firmly. Then she turned to glare at Sasuke, deadly intent present again in her eyes and voice. “You. Owe. Me.”

Sasuke sighed through clenched teeth and nodded. He eyed Lee up and down. 

“There might be hope,” he said skeptically.

“Excellent! Well, off you go. We’ll see you at six, right?” Sakura said.

Sasuke nodded and turned to leave. Neji gently pushed Lee toward the door. 

“Have fun!” Tenten called. “Don’t worry – we’ll clean out your closet to make room for all your new stuff.” 

Lee whipped his head to look desperately at Tenten and then at Neji. 

“And I’ll make sure they don’t throw away anything vital,” Neji comforted Lee. “Now go.”

Lee followed Sasuke out the front door and nearly tripped down the steps when he saw the limousine parked in front of his house. Of course Sasuke traveled around in a limo; what else would the fussiest heir of the Uchiha fortune do for transportation?

Without pausing, Sasuke walked across the grass and waited as the driver leapt out of the vehicle to hold the door open for him. Sasuke stopped with one leg in the car and hand on the door. 

“Well?” Sasuke said. “Are you coming or not?”

“Sorry!” Lee stammered and ran to the car. He slid in after Sasuke and then settled uncomfortably on the plush leather. 

“Fashion Center, Randall,” Sasuke called. Then he crossed his legs and swung one boot-clad foot as he opened a little compartment next to the wet bar.

“Xanex?” Sasuke asked conversationally, holding out a bottle to Lee.

“Ah, no thank you,” Lee said.

“Hn,” was the reply. Sasuke shrugged and popped a pill into his mouth with practiced ease, washing it down with a sip of sparkling water. 

“You might change your mind about that later,” he said cryptically.

Lee really didn’t think he would, but his palms continued to sweat. Lee and Sasuke weren’t exactly the closest of friends, and the intense dark-haired man made Lee nervous for reasons he couldn’t quite put his finger on.

But one thing was for certain: there was too much going on to even think about last night or anything other than surviving his “Phase II” time with Sasuke. Lee eyed the man from the corner of his eye and tried to enjoy his first time in a limousine.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	8. Chapter 8

“For Chrissakes, Lee, what are you DOING in there? And why is the door locked?” Sasuke pounded on the door again, frustration and impatience evident even in the rhythm.

Lee sat on the plush bench inside a dressing room that was easily larger than his bedroom and winced at Sasuke’s tone. Lee just wanted a break, but his so-called fashion consultant didn’t believe in breaks.

Saskue also didn’t believe in taking no for an answer, saying “please” or “thank you,” or privacy. Shopping with Sasuke was, indeed, an adventure. Sort of like swimming with sharks or having a nice, quiet, tea with a starving vampire in daylight.

“Lee?” Sasuke called again. “We only have an hour left before your spa appointment, and if you think for one second that you’re going to avoid it or be late…”

Lee sighed, stood, and opened the door to the dressing room. An irked Sasuke sauntered in and eyed the piles of clothing. He looked Lee up and down, too, for the hundredth time in the past hour. Lee wore black slacks and a shirt made out of silk that felt amazing but made him look like a throw-back to the 70s.

“Hn,” Sasuke said. “Not that shirt. You do better with simple fabrics, I think.” The light glanced off the metal in Sasuke’s lip and ears as he circled the room.

“I think James has done you well,” Sasuke said. “But then, I thought it would.” 

James was the name of the clothing store. Merely breathing inside its hallowed walls cost money, and it was the premier store for homosexual men. Apparently, everyone wanted to be in James.

It wasn’t the official slogan of the store, but it certainly worked.

As soon as the limo stopped in Fashion Center, Sasuke was out of the car and dragging Lee into various stores. The first three didn’t require Lee to try anything on – they were for what Sasuke called “basics” – t-shirts, boxers, that sort of thing. Lee thanked the gods for small favors that Sasuke didn’t require Lee to model any particular brand or style of underwear. 

Then Sasuke dragged Lee around the block and into James, (all puns made and supported by the staff). The store had four floors, each one successively more expensive than the previous. Sasuke ruthlessly dragged Lee through all four levels, grabbing the occasional item of clothing as they went. Sasuke didn’t ask Lee’s opinion on anything. In fact, any time Lee tried to open his mouth, Sasuke gave him what Lee understood to be the patented Uchiha Stare of Death. Lee wisely remained mute after that.

Three attendants rushed to help the imperious Uchiha, and Sasuke loaded them down with every kind of clothing imaginable and then demanded more. Then he went back for accessories and shoes. After agreeing to bottled water and depositing Lee into the massive dressing room, Sasuke sat on a throne-like chair and began a running commentary interspersed with barked commands. 

“Get him the next size down. His ass can look better than that.”

“Don’t you DARE pair that yellow with that blue.” 

“Lee, you have two seconds to get your ass out here and show me what that ensemble looks like before I rip the door off the hinges and make you change out here.”

“Not those shoes, good GOD, man.”

“Different belt. New tie. He needs light brown shoes, not dark. Do you think I’m blind?”

“What am I paying you people to do? Stand around and stare? Move goddammit!”

Clerks scrambled, clothing flew, and when Lee couldn’t change fast enough, they helped. It was overwhelming, occasionally embarrassing, and completely foreign.

Lee didn’t know whether to laugh or punch Sasuke in the face to get him to shut up for ten solid seconds so Lee could have some peace.

After hours of this, Lee had locked himself in the dressing room in desperation. That, of course, led to Sasuke banging on the door hard enough to leave dents.

Lee was sure the man meant well…in fact, he was extremely grateful to Sasuke for taking the time. Not to mention the money; Lee was still overwhelmed at the cost of a single sock, much less an entire ensemble.

Lee watched as Sasuke casually tossed a $500 shirt onto the floor with a grimace. Lee tried not to wince.

But, all bitchiness aside, Lee had to admit that Sasuke had exquisite taste. Apparently Lee was quite clueless as to what looked good on him and what didn’t, and Lee truly thought the results of Sasuke’s efforts were rather amazing. Part of the brilliance was definitely the fact that Sasuke never put Lee in something that didn’t suit him. Sasuke analyzed Lee, his body, his coloring, and the limits of his taste without issue and ordered clothing accordingly. The man obviously enjoyed treating Lee like some sort of broken doll in need of fashion repair, and it was mostly endearing. 

Lee would be more touched by the gesture and excited about the massive pile of clothing if only he weren’t so tired. Running twenty miles uphill during the height of summer wearing wool wouldn’t be this exhausting.

Sasuke looked at his watch. “I wanted to make it to another store or two, but this is just going to have to do. I have some things in mind for you that I’ll have sent by your house later in the week.”

“Sasuke, this is truly too much,” Lee said honestly.

“Probably,” Sasuke said. “I doubt it’ll all fit in that tiny closet of yours.” 

Lee started to tell Sasuke that wasn’t what he meant but dismissed the idea. Lee had no idea what it was like to operate without concern for money, but Sasuke did. Lee just remained grateful in silence. Well, grateful and slightly confused…but mostly grateful.

Sasuke folded a pair of jeans and turned to face Lee. Then the man actually smiled – or maybe smirked was a better term. 

“Besides, if it helps you finally get laid and gets Sakura off my back? It’s all even in my book.”

Lee felt himself blush. “Well, thank you, Sasuke. This is all very…generous.”

Sasuke snorted and waved a hand dismissively. A clerk walked in and Sasuke snapped his fingers to indicate a small pile. “We’re taking everything but that stack.”

The clerk practically genuflected. “Of course, sir. Let me go get some assistance and we’ll box everything for you.”

“Fine, fine.” 

“Take that shirt off and wear this one,” Sasuke said and tossed Lee a beautiful light green shirt. 

Lee was too tired to ask questions. He did what he was told and followed Sasuke back down to the main floor. After some waiting, several rounds of ridiculously obsequious behavior on behalf of the staff, and the matter of payment, the two young men left James and climbed back into Sasuke’s limo.

For a while there was blessed silence, and Lee leaned back against the seat with his eyes closed. Sasuke fussed with his phone for a while, sighed, and shifted in his seat to face Lee.

“Now, is there anything you don’t wish done to you when we get to the spa?” Sasuke asked. 

For some reason, the wording of that question made Lee’s pulse race.

“Um…what kind of spa is this, again?”

“It’s a retreat, actually. My brother’s friends Deidara and Sasori run it. But they agreed to cancel appointments and new visitors this afternoon for the two of us.”

“Really?” Lee asked, astonished.

“Oh yes. Itachi and I are very good customers.” Sasuke smiled.

“Erm, right.”

“So, anything off limits before we get there?”

Lee racked his brain over the various things one could do at a spa. Not that Lee had ever been to one, but there seemed to be a standard set of services such a place would offer.

Lee frowned and then said slowly, “I do not really like the idea of my nails being painted but other than that…” 

Sasuke snorted. “I’ll make a note of that, then. I’m sure Dei will ask. And if that’s your only stipulation, then all the better. It’ll be much easier if you just leave this to me.”

Sasuke tapped the screen of his phone rapidly. “I’ll just send ahead a few things I have in mind already. I’ve met Gai often enough to have a fairly good feel for him.”

“What do you mean?” Lee asked, suspicious and curious in equal parts.

“Oh, you know…preferences.” 

“Preferences?”

Sasuke waved his phone at Lee dismissively. “Don’t worry, Lee. Just leave it to me.”

Lee felt something very akin to fear slither down his spine. There was just something about Sasuke that made him very…very…nervous.

***

Global Blue Spa Retreat turned out to be a massive complex designed in a Mediterranean style that sat on several acres on the outskirts of the city. Lee eyed the impressive entrance with apprehension as the limousine pulled to a gentle stop.

Lee followed Sasuke inside, marveling at the lavish fountain in the entranceway. He was just about to comment on the koi in the pond when a blond man whisked through a doorway and immediately went over to Sasuke and pulled him into a familiar embrace. 

“My favorite little Uchiha!” the blond exclaimed. “It’s been too long!”

“I saw you last week, Dei,” Sasuke said, but his tone was light.

“Exactly!” the blond replied. “Too long!”

Lee presumed this was Deidara, and he took a moment to admire the man. He was slim, dressed in jeans and a brilliant red shirt that flowed around his body, and he had long blond hair that was mostly piled artfully on top of his head. His nails were painted black, his feet were bare (toenails matched the fingernails), and his bright blue eyes were clear, earnest, and full of an energy that bordered on mania.

Why did Lee suddenly feel the urge to flee?

“Sasori!” Deidara called in a sing-song tone. “Little Sasuke is here!”

“So I heard,” a second voice said. Lee took an involuntary step backwards as a beautiful redheaded man walked into the entranceway, also moving to embrace Sasuke. He was slightly shorter than Deidara, but no less striking. Clad in a fitted, sleeveless shirt and pants both made entirely of black silk except for a red piping along the edges of his mandarin collar and cuffs, he was quite beyond breathtaking.

Lee felt rather outclassed.

And anxious.

“Sasori,” Sasuke said and returned the redhead’s embrace.

“How is your brother, Sasuke?” Sasori asked.

“Fine I assume. He’s on that cruise with Pein, Hidan, and Kakuzu.”

“Oh, I wish we could have gone!” Deidara lamented. “But the damned resort is completely booked!”

“Such a tragedy,” Sasori said evenly. Deidara stuck his tongue out at the other man.

“Anyway,” Deidara said, taking Sasuke’s arm. “I hear you have a new pet for us to play with!” 

Lee took another step backward.

“Oh, he’s not MY pet,” Sasuke correctly quickly. “But I think he’ll soon be someone else’s. I hoped you could assist.”

Deidara’s manic gaze finally turned to rest on Lee, whose skin broke out in goose bumps as he was assessed. 

“This is him?” Deidara asked, his unblinking stare making Lee want to whimper.

“Lee, this is Deidara and Sasori. Stop cowering like a scared rabbit and come say hello.”

Lee felt tempted to correct Sasuke, but he had to admit to himself that he was behaving rather cowardly. He straightened his spine and approached the trio. He bowed his head politely to the two new men.

“Pleasure to meet you,” Lee said. 

Deidara released Sasuke’s arm and quirked his head, a birdlike gesture. He pivot-turned to face Sasori, who stood with his bare arms crossed, expression calm. Deidara pursed his lips at the redhead, whose only response was to raise both eyebrows. 

Lee felt like he’d missed an entire conversation.

Then without warning Deidara yanked Lee so that he stood between the blond and the redhead. 

“Nice form,” Deidara said, and he started to circle Lee, eyes roving as though making mental notes. Sasori stood back and regarded Lee as well.

“Good skin tone,” Sasori commented.

“Hair?” Deidara questioned.

“I can manage,” Sasori confirmed.

“Clothing.” It was a statement.

“Obviously Sasuke.”

“True,” Deidara agreed and winked at the Uchiha, who smirked back.

“But the outfit still lets this one-“ Deidara began.

“Show through,” Sasori finished.

“Precisely!” Deidara beamed at Sasori. Then he returned his focus to Lee, moved so that their noses were nearly touching, and frowned. Lee tried to take a step back, but Deidara simply grabbed Lee’s shoulders and held him still in a vice-like grip.

“Eyebrows, pores, and hairline.”

“Noted,” Sasori said.

“Body hair?” Deidara directed the question to Sasuke.

“Get rid of it,” Sasuke said.

Get…rid…Lee’s heart fluttered. What did that mean?

“What about his arms?” Sasori asked.

Sasuke looked at Lee, and the other two men followed suit. It was like they were all speaking code, and it took Lee a couple of seconds to realize they were actually waiting for an answer.

“Um, I scratched up my hands and arms in training,” Lee finally said.

Deidara grasped one of Lee’s forearms, and Lee winced.

“Oooh, poor baby,” Deidara cooed. “Best to leave these alone.” Lee thought he sounded genuinely regretful…and Lee couldn’t help but think it was for all the wrong reasons.

“How long do we have?” Sasori asked Sasuke.

“I need him done by 5:45.”

“That gives us a mere few hours to turn this precious child into a work of art!” Deidara exclaimed. “I do so love a challenge.”

Sasori chuckled. “I’ll go get some things ready.” He turned and left the entranceway. Deidara clasped Lee’s arm – gentler this time – and tucked it through his own.

“We’re going to have such a delightful time!”

“Good luck, Lee!” Sasuke called, mirth lacing his words.

This time, Lee did whimper.

***

Generally speaking, Lee was very good with pain. 

Pulled muscles, torn tendons, stress fractures, broken bones, surgical wounds, raw skin…Lee was familiar with all sorts of pain types and causes. Pain did not scare Lee, nor did most of the implements used to cause the sensation.

But as Lee shifted and squirmed in the leather seat of the limo, he realized that today would go down as the day he learned about a whole new type of discomfort: 

Aesthetic pain.

And if Sasuke didn’t stop chortling and laughing, Lee was going to introduce the damned Uchiha to several new types of torture with his bare hands.

Lee’s introduction to spa treatments started out well and good. He adamantly refused to let Sasori rework his eyebrows entirely, and after a small argument, Sasori relented. Waxing didn’t hurt all that much, Lee learned.

The facial had actually been rather nice overall, so long as Lee could overlook the tool Deidara used to suck his pores clear. That was truly bizarre.

The steam sauna was a blissful experience, despite the fact that Deidara demanded Lee strip entirely – Lee finally managed to convince the blond to give him a little privacy and a robe. 

“You take that robe off while inside,” Deidara warned. “We need your pores open and follicles pliable.”

Not understanding a bit of that, Lee just focused on enjoying the steam.

Then Deidara escorted Lee into a room with a rather odd-looking chair, and the laser hair removal began.

Lee didn’t have the words to describe the hours he spent under the intense scrutiny of Sasori’s magnified gaze. The words “uncomfortable” and “embarrassing” and “torturous” seemed to simply fall short.

The back of his neck wasn’t too bad, really, but then Deidara unceremoniously grabbed Lee’s arms and pulled them over his head. 

“What are you doing?” Lee asked.

“What, you’re not attached to underarm hair, are you?”

“Um…I never thought about it?” 

“Well, you’re soon to be completely unattached.”

Thankfully, there’d been some sort of topical cream involved that made the process a little less like raking a porcupine over an open wound. Then there was more cream which was humiliatingly applied to Lee’s naked armpits with Sasori’s indifferent hands.

Then they’d moved to attack Lee below the waist and the fighting began in earnest.

“Oh, God…” Sasuke wheezed from next to Lee. “The things you said…I could hear you all the way out in the lobby!” A fresh wave of giggles overcame the soon-to-be-dead man. Lee ground his teeth, and clutched the bottle of water in his hand.

After Lee leapt out of the chair yelling in defiance of the below-the-waist hair removal, it took fifteen minutes to get Lee back in the chair. Lee finally admitted defeat. Deidara and Sasori were a brutal combination of comforting, rational, and completely uncompromising. Lee was already trying to block the memories of the extremely terrible positions they’d goaded Lee into to remove the hair. 

And, yes, it was true that Lee had remarked on both Sasori and Deidara’s ancestry as the process progressed.

The laser treatment was followed by a round of waxing, plucking, and artful shaving to get rid of anything the laser might have left. Then Sasori fussed over the hair on Lee’s head, and Deidara packed a canvas bag full of bottles and such that Sasori recommended for hair and skin. Then came the full-body cream and oil application (at that point, Lee was beyond caring what body parts were exposed or touched), and then it was blissfully over.

“You will come back in six weeks,” Deidara said, his tone not allowing room for objection. “Sasuke has already paid for the next four treatments. And use this every night.” Lee accepted the bottle of aftercare cream without comment. 

Sasuke wiped his eyes. “It may have cost a fortune, but I think the entire thing was worth it just to hear you cuss.”

“Sasuke, would you mind terribly if we passed the rest of our time together in silence?” Lee asked, his teeth clenched and eyes squeezed shut. He would not kill Naruto’s boyfriend…he would not kill Naruto’s boyfriend…

“Sure, Lee.” Sasuke said, still chuckling.

Lee didn’t throw the bottle of water at Sasuke, but oh it was tempting.

“Just wait until I tell Kashi about it,” Sasuke said after a moment.

“Kashi?” Lee asked, slightly panicked. He opened his eyes and stared at Sasuke.

“Sure. That’s where we’re going next.” The imperious shit actually grinned at Lee. “To Glow…Kakashi’s bar.”

Lee felt his face drain of color. 

“You just let me know if you change your mind about that Xanex,” Sasuke said.

“Shut-up, Sasuke.” 

Thankfully, Sasuke obeyed.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	9. Chapter 9

Kakashi Hatake owned and operated Glow, one of the city’s most popular bars. It was the right combination of atmosphere, food, and music situated in the middle of downtown, next to Fashion Center.

“We’re here,” Sasuke said when the limo stopped. 

Lee swallowed the last of his Fiji water and climbed out of the black car. Nerves inspired a fresh batch of butterflies in his gut, and his skin tingled uncomfortably from its earlier treatments. The soft cotton of his boxers rubbed his newly sensitive flesh, and it made Lee want to squirm as he walked.

As the pair of men walked toward the front of the bar, the misery of the previous night and the past few weeks welled up inside Lee. He mentally braced himself against the sensation, knowing that Neji must have a good reason to bring Lee here. But Lee dreaded seeing Kakashi. He didn’t want to think about Kakashi being successful with Gai-sensei where Lee had failed miserably. It made him feel ill.

Despite the inner turmoil, Lee followed dutifully after Sasuke as he entered the building. The inside of the bar was dim, and recessed lighting reflected off of dark wood. The bar took up an entire wall, mirrors set behind it to maximize the space and effect. High tables were interspersed around the room, a flank of pool tables could be seen through a wide door in the back of the main room, and a DJ’s booth was set in a corner overlooking the tables and floor. The bar wasn’t open, yet, so Lee’s friends had the place to themselves.

Tenten waved energetically to Lee and Sasuke when they walked in. Then she whistled.

“Damn, Lee!” she said as Lee and Sasuke reached the large, round table where they sat. “You look good!”

“I see that Sasuke did his job well,” Sakura commented, one pale eyebrow arched.

“Of course I did,” Sasuke said.

The group collectively rolled their eyes. Lee circled the group and climbed into a chair next to Neji.

“How was shopping?” Neji asked.

“Successful,” Lee said, wincing as he shifted on the stool. His skin was just entirely too sensitive. “Sasuke was far too generous.”

“Good,” Sakura said as Sasuke sat down beside her.

“And the spa?” Neji asked.

Lee sighed. “Also successful, I think, and also very generous of Sasuke.” Lee paused. “But I admit it was rather like getting tortured by sadistic ninja.”

Neji snorted a laugh and looked at Sasuke, who was conveniently absorbed with his phone.

“I was afraid of that,” Neji said.

“But overall it was a very nice day,” Lee amended, feeling guilty that he spoke badly of his friends’ generosity…however uncomfortable it was on the receiving end. 

“You seem much more like your normal self,” Neji observed. 

“I do?” Lee asked.

Neji nodded. Now that he thought about it, even the painful memories that rushed back as he walked inside the bar seemed…well, less painful. Everything was made better by Neji and his plan. Even if Lee managed to somehow screw up that plan, the small hope made Lee’s life much better.

“So, time for Phase III?” Ino asked.

Neji nodded and everyone looked at him as he turned to Lee.

“It’s time to talk to Kakashi, Lee,” Neji said without preamble.

Lee’s eyes went wide. Oh no…he could not do that. Walk up to the gray-haired, older man; admit that he was completely at a loss as to what his beloved sensei wanted, and tell him that he was desperate for help? He’d rather go back to the spa and play strip poker with Deidara and Sasori.

“Lee,” Neji sighed and shook his head.

“Look, Lee,” Sakura spoke up. “We all get why you don’t want to do it, but if you want Gai, then you have to.”

“You should have done this a long time ago, actually,” Ino commented in a superior tone. “Would have saved a ton of hassle and worry.”

“I…I thought I could manage on my own,” Lee said somewhat indignantly.

“Of course you can, Lee,” Sakura said. She reached over and laid a hand on one of Lee’s. “But it turns out that Gai is…well, much more complicated than any of us thought.”

“Or would have thought possible,” Sasuke muttered. Then he yelped as Sakura kicked him under the table.

“Kakashi knows Gai better than anyone other than you, Lee,” Sakura continued, not deigning to give Sasuke a response other than violence. “And he’s actually very good with people and advice.”

Lee frowned and fidgeted with the bandages on his hands. Of course it was all true, Lee had no problem seeing that. The plan smacked of Neji’s logic – Kakashi was the last source of information that might be able to give Lee some insight that would help his cause. 

“If anyone knows how Gai actually feels, Lee, it’s Kakashi,” Neji said softly. “And after I spoke with him a little about what’s happened, I think you’ll be surprised by some of what he has to say.”

“You…told him about…”

“Just some of the basics, Lee, no details,” Neji assured him. 

Lee sighed, his nerves frayed and the fringes of emotional exhaustion setting in again. It would be so much easier to just go home and try to accept that Gai-sensei’s current level of affection for Lee was all Lee would get. He could just resign himself to being content with what he had, and grateful that he had that much. It would certainly be…simpler.

…and Lee knew he would always wonder what might have been.

“Lee, you just survived and entire day of Sasuke and his antics,” Neji said. “How hard will one conversation be after that?”

Lee opened his mouth to respond when it hit him: in a flash of dawning understanding, Lee realized what role the shopping and makeover were supposed to play. Tenderness toward his friends filled Lee as he saw that the entire day was supposed to give him confidence and make him realize that trying new things might be uncomfortable but often worth it. Lee had yet to see the aftereffects of his new look and clothing in a mirror, but he was sure it would be much improved. Neji and Lee’s other friends hoped to remind Lee that he enjoyed challenges – large or small – and wasn’t one to just give up and go home. The day had been about purposeful distraction.

Granted, he still wasn’t sure what hair removal had to do with anything, but he just hoped that was an unforeseen side effect of Neji’s grander plan.

The group watched as comprehension dawned on Lee’s earnest features. Tenten sighed and rested her chin on her hands. Ino tossed a lock of hair over her shoulder and looked a little smug. Sakura smiled, and Sasuke smirked.

“Neji…” Lee said. “I do not know what to say.”

“Don’t say anything to us, Lee. Just go talk to Kakashi.” Neji smiled and pushed gently on Lee’s shoulder. Lee turned, squeezed Sakura’s hand and released it, and then carefully slid off the chair.

Kakashi immediately stopped watching the group intently and started polishing the bar, feigning innocence.

Lee squared his shoulders and approached the bar. He still felt twisted and confused, hurt and rejected. But he also felt the faint and familiar spark of hope as he watched the gray haired man shine the bar. Lee had utmost faith in Neji; if his friend thought this was the next step and that it would help, then by God Lee would follow through. It was the least he could do, after all.

Lee stopped a few feet away from Kakashi, who still made a show of not really seeing the boy. 

“Kakashi, may I have a word with you?” Lee asked solemnly. 

“Of course, Lee,” Kakashi said and smiled. He put down his rag and rested his palms on the very surface he’d been wiping clean. “What’s on your mind?”

This close to saying what he needed, Lee found he couldn’t form the words. Asking this man’s advice and explaining that he needed help felt like the ultimate admittance of failure. Lee swallowed.

Kakashi didn’t say anything, merely regarded Lee with a blank expression. 

One last thing, Lee told himself. I’ll do this one last thing, and if it doesn’t work, I accept Gai-sensei’s affection and quietly move on about my life. But right now, my friends are counting on me; I can’t back down.

“Kakashi, I need to know how Gai-sensei feels about me,” Lee said. He decided to get straight to the point. 

“I need to know if you will share that information, and, if you will, how you think it best for me to respond. I love him, sir, and I am ashamed to admit that all of my own efforts to explain my feelings have…failed. I…I do not know what to do.”

Well…that was only a thousand times more painful than getting one’s arm crushed. Not bad.

Kakashi blinked, looked up at the ceiling and seemed to commune with an unseen force for a moment. Then he sighed, pointed to a chair in the corner, and said, “Sit.”

Lee obeyed immediately.

Kakashi rummaged behind the bar for a second and Lee watched as the man made what could only be described as an incredibly weak drink. Then he walked over, placed the glass that was mostly juice in front of Lee, and leaned against the bar. 

“I was wondering when you would get around to talking to me,” Kakashi said. “It’s about bloody time.”

Lee blinked, surprised at Kakashi’s tone.

“I am…sorry for the delay?” Lee said, unsure.

Kakashi grunted. “I went over to Gai’s place this morning. Do you know what I found him doing?”

Mental images that Lee really didn’t want to revisit flashed through his mind. He shoved them away.

“No, I do not,” Lee said.

“I found him lying in the floor, bemoaning life, and drinking,” Kakashi nearly snarled. “Heavily.”

“But…but Gai-sensei does not drink!” Lee said.

“Tell me about it,” Kakashi said. “Poor sap was sicker than a damned dog. Got him into bed just before I got the phone call from Sakura.”

Gai-sensei drinking before noon? Lee was beside himself with shock.

“But-“

“Let’s start in the beginning,” Kakashi interrupted. “I want to hear every single detail of the past few weeks – even the ones you didn’t tell your friends.” Kakashi knowingly arched an eyebrow at Lee.

Lee’s eyes grew wide. 

“You can begin with when it was, exactly, that you decided to finally act on how you feel about Gai.”

“I…well…I…”

Kakashi shoved the glass at Lee. “Sip on this first.”

“I am rather allergic to alcohol, sir. It does not-“

“I know that, Lee,” Kakashi said with a bored sigh. “But you’re a jittering ball of twitchy angst, and it’s making me nervous. Sip the drink.”

Lee obeyed and found the concoction tasty. He took another sip. Then he clasped his hands to keep from fidgeting and began to tell his story. He started with the day at the dojo that Kakashi visited. He didn’t skimp on any of the details, not even when he got to the night at the dojo. Lee blushed nine hundred shades of red and spoke to the bar during the most vivid parts, but he got through it. 

“And then Sasuke’s driver brought us here, and Neji convinced me that I needed to speak to you,” Lee finished with a sigh and looked up. Kakashi’s expression was thoughtful and intensely focused. 

“You watched him…from the doorway?” 

Lee gulped and nervously ran a hand through his hair. “Y-yes, sir.”

Kakashi’s mismatched eyes regarded Lee for a moment.

“Lee, I think I’m discovering whole new levels of respect for you.”

“Sir?” Lee practically squeaked.

Kakashi sighed. “Lee, the formality thing is cute and all, but do me a favor. Sip the drink, pretend you know how to speak using contractions, and call me Kakashi.”

Lee lifted the glass with a slightly shaky hand and took another sip.

“Okay,” Lee said meekly.

“Thank you for telling me all that. It helps to make some sense of Gai’s babbling this morning.” Kakashi rolled his eyes and then shook his head.

“Babbling?” Yet another thing that Gai-sensei simply did not do.

“Oh, yeah,” Kakashi said, snorting. Then he looked up at Lee, his expression difficult to read, but intense. “Something about being punished for spying on some student in the shower.”

Lee stopped breathing. He couldn’t have…Gai-sensei didn’t…but that would mean…

“Oh, God,” Lee said, his voice a ragged whisper.

Kakashi pushed the drink into Lee’s hand, and Lee drank a full swallow.

“Focus, Lee,” Kakashi said.

Lee nodded, a little dazed.

“Lee, I promised myself that I wouldn’t betray Gai’s confidence unless you came to me asking for help. I didn’t want to get in the middle of things between the two of you, and I didn’t want to hurt Gai unnecessarily.” Kakashi sighed.

“Gai’s never told me directly what he feels, but I’ve known the man for years. I’ve had my suspicions, and after this morning, I think most of those suspicions are spot on. And I think he needs a swift kick in the ass.

“So, since you did come to me, I’m going to tell you what you don’t know. Pay attention.”

Lee sat up straighter on the stool. Kakashi watched him for a second, amused, then continued.

“You remember me telling you about the woman who sent Gai flowers? With the cruel cards?”

Lee nodded. “Yes s- er, yes.”

“The woman’s name was Anko. To this day, I don’t know if Gai confessed anything to her or not, but I do know this: she thought the reason Gai didn’t like her was because he was obsessed with one of his male students.”

Lee didn’t say anything; his heart was beating too loudly in his ears and somehow that rendered speech impossible.

“Her notes were damned cruel, Lee. She called him a pedophile, a sick fuck, all sorts of things. And since I’m sure you need me to say it to believe it, the student Anko thought Gai was obsessed with was you.”

Lee wanted to be happy – intense happiness certainly cut through the nerves and anxiety for a few seconds. But that was quickly followed by a sense of misery. And then rage. Lee wanted to find this Anko woman and explain to her how he felt about her cruelty. In detail.

“Let me make this clear, Lee: Gai has never come to me and said he’s in love with you,” Kakashi continued.

Lee’s heart hammered so loudly in his chest he was sure it was visible from the outside.

“But he stopped going on dates. Hell, he stopped looking at men, period. Even before Iruka and I were together, he told me one day that we should stop seeing each other. I never could get him to tell me why, precisely, but he did say that he thought it was better if he denied himself affection.

“All that happened about the same times as those damned flowers started showing up at the dojo, so I have to think that if Gai was already feeling a bit guilty for what he feels about you, then that sent him right over the edge. 

“In a way,” Kakashi went on, nudging the glass at Lee again. “I can understand. He’s known you since you were a boy. Seen you grow up, get healthy, overcome the accident and the loss of your parents. He only wants the best for you, Lee, of that I am sure. Both because he’s told me that at least a million times and because he’s that kind of man.

“Unfortunately, Gai is also the type of man who will decide what is best for those he loves without soliciting their input.” Kakashi’s tone was wry, as though speaking from experience. “His judgment is always the best, you see. Especially when his judgment allows him to be hardest on himself.”

Kakashi paused, considering. “If he thinks something he feels, wants, or even needs is wrong, trust me when I say that it’s hard as hell to talk him down from that cliff. I’ve only managed to overcome his stubborn ass a few times, and I had to resort to…extreme measures.”

“Extreme measures?” Lee asked, wondering what Kakashi meant by that. Or by any of his vague references, actually.

Kakashi nodded. “Exactly. Which is why you, my young friend, are going to have to do something rather extreme to get my old rival over this self-inflicted monk status that he seems determined to keep.” Kakashi regarded Lee seriously, eyes searching down into what felt like the very depths of Lee’s soul.

“You think you can do that?”

Lee swallowed and went over everything Kakashi had revealed. Lee knew that Kakashi was absolutely right. Lee knew that Gai-sensei was a stern and stubborn man when his mind was made up, and it would take a lot to make him change his thinking or his actions. But…Lee bit his lip.

“Do you think I’ve got a chance if I do this extreme measures thing?” Lee asked.

“I think that if we use my knowledge of Gai, his quirks, and what I think he feels for you then, yes, you’ve got a pretty good shot.”

Lee was silent as he mulled that over. He didn’t have any idea what Kakashi’s version of “extreme measures” might be, but images of storming castle walls, repelling down mountain sides, and swimming with sharks came to mind. Since Lee was willing to do all that and more for Gai-sensei, he knew he was up for it.

“Kakashi, do you…think…” Lee felt too foolish and childlike to finish the sentence. He frowned and looked down at the bar.

Kakashi reached over and tilted Lee’s chin up so that their eyes met. Lee found a smile on Kakashi’s face and tenderness in the man’s eyes.

“Yes, Lee, I do think he loves you. I think he hates himself for it, thinks you would be better off with someone younger and less deviant. But I think despite how much he tells himself that, he still wants you. Being with you all the time is both pleasure and torture for my old friend; he can’t tell you to go away and he can’t make himself beg you to stay. He plays oblivious very well, but in truth he never misses anything. He knows what you’ve been doing…and he’s trying very, very hard to convince himself that he must push you away for your own good. Do you understand, Lee?”

His heart swelling with emotion and his eyes tingling, Lee nodded. 

“I understand, Kakashi,” Lee said. “Now…tell me what to do to make him stop hurting himself.” Lee paused. “And me.”

“Good boy, Lee,” Kakashi said and released Lee’s chin. Then he turned to the table where Lee’s friends were sitting. All of them were watching the entire scene, and Lee blushed.

Kakashi, however, gave an enthusiastic thumbs-up – a perfect imitation of Gai-sensei.

The girls all whooped with excitement, and Neji grinned at Lee. Even Sasuke smirked.

“Now,” Kakashi said, turning back to the bar and refilling Lee’s glass. “First thing’s first: you a virgin?”

Lee choked on the drink. 

It was going to be a long night.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	10. Chapter 10

Kakashi waited until Lee finished choking and then repeated his question.

“Sex, Lee, have you had it?”

“No,” Lee said, and his voice was so high it hurt his own ears.

“Mm, I see,” Kakashi said and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, what have you done?”

Lee sputtered not seeing how this was germane to the situation in the least.

“So, nothing then?” Kakashi asked, eying Lee.

Lee blushed.

“Right. Okay, then…not a problem. Just means a little more cramming.”

Gulping, Lee watched as Kakashi ducked down behind the bar and sorted through something that Lee couldn’t see from his perch. After a moment or two, Kakashi stood up with a beaten old paperback in his hand. He opened the book, the spine breaking neatly to the section Kakashi apparently wanted, and then he approached Lee.

“You’re going to read this,” Kakashi said. “And there might be a quiz later, so pay attention to the details.”

Lee gasped when he saw one Jiraiya’s novels in front of him on the bar. 

“Kakashi,” Lee screeched. “How is reading porn going to help me?”

“It may be porn, but that one is particularly educational,” Kakashi said. “It’s either this or demonstrate on you myself.” Kakashi grinned wickedly. “If you like, I might be able to get Iruka to agree to-"

“Not necessary!” Lee squawked and waved his hands wildly. “I’ll just read the books.”

“Excellent! I’ll be over there.”

Still not seeing the point and blushing for the millionth time today, Lee propped his head in his hands and focused on the text. He read about the two men coming home after work and briefly wondered how far he should read before he asked Kakashi what this was all about.

Twenty minutes later, Lee was three chapters into the book, hard as a rock, and completely enthralled. When the main character lay gasping in post-orgasmic bliss on the sheets, Lee looked up to see Kakashi approaching him again.

“Now this one,” Kakashi said and handed Lee another book, also open to a particular section.

Without saying a word, Lee exchanged one book for the other and started reading. Kakashi casually poured Lee another drink. The bar was beginning to fill for the night, Glow being one of the few bars that stayed open on Sundays.

The second book was similar to the first, but the characters did different things; delicious, amazing things that Lee didn’t even know were possible. Lee was intensely grateful that he was in a corner, his obvious arousal hidden by the bar. 

When Lee was on the fourth book, Sasuke wandered over to the bar to get a drink. Lee was particularly fascinated with this one because while it wasn’t written by Jiraiya, it was illustrated. And highly detailed with step-by-step instructions.

“That one’s a lot of fun,” Sasuke said, and Lee jumped as the man’s voice startled him. “But it works better if your partner supports your lower back.”

Lee couldn’t make himself say anything, but Sasuke didn’t seem to mind. He just wandered back to the table. Lee kept reading.

After six books and enough alcohol for Lee to feel more than a little buzzed, Kakashi walked over for the last time. 

“It’s late, Lee, and we both need to get home. But here’s what I want you to do.”

Lee closed the book and let it rest on the bar. He fidgeted, his neglected erection painful. 

“Tomorrow, go to the dojo like you always do. Pretend like everything’s fine. Gai will do the same thing, believe me, and he’ll be grateful to see you.”

Lee nodded; he could do that for Gai-sensei.

“Take this home with you,” Kakashi said and handed him a plain black book, the dust jacket obviously removed. “Read all of it. How long do you think it’ll take you to do that?”

Lee eyed the book. “Two days?” 

“Then come back here when you’re done in two days. We’ll have some things to discuss.”

Lee nodded solemnly. “Thank you, Kakashi.”

“You’re welcome, Lee. Now get out of here so I can go home and screw Iruka into the mattress.”

Lee blushed but grinned. He got off the stool, adjusted himself while facing the wall, and then turned to leave. He spotted Neji at the round table; he was the only one left in the bar. 

“Sasuke and Sakura went back to your house to unload your new wardrobe, and I waited so I could drive you home,” Neji explained as Lee approached.

Lee smiled at his friend. “I’m glad you waited.”

“Naturally,” Neji said. “Now come on. Let’s get you home.”

They talked very little on the drive home, but Neji’s face was relaxed into a knowing little smile. Lee’s eyelids grew heavy as Neji carefully wound the car through Lee’s neighborhood and into his driveway.

“Good night, Lee,” Neji said as Lee got out of the car. 

“Thank you again, Neji,” Lee said. “For everything.”

Neji smiled a little and nodded at his friend.

The car drove away and Lee went inside. This had been easily one of the busiest, exhausting, most interesting and probably best days of Lee’s life. He knew he needed to rest…

But the book seemed to call Lee’s name. 

With authority.

***

Lee had no idea how he made it through the next day, but one thing was for certain: Lee could kiss whoever came up with energy drinks.

After Neji drove away, Lee went inside and immediately up to his room. He expected his space to be in a state of chaos with boxes and bags strewn everywhere. Instead, he found the closet full but neatly organized, and the drawers were empty of most of his old things and reorganized to hold all the new stuff. 

It took Lee three tries to find his pajama pants, but he still smiled and felt gratitude toward his amazing – and highly organized – friends.

Flicking on the light next to the bed, Lee decided to read a few pages and then get some much-needed rest. The other books Kakashi made him read were interesting, sure, but they were nothing Lee couldn’t put down if he wanted to do so. He’d read a few pages and then call it a night.

Much later when Lee escaped his bedroom to raid the kitchen for caffeine, he mumbled to himself about roads to hell and good intentions. 

And he damned Kakashi in very creative ways…and told himself he’d do extra sit-ups in the morning to make up for it. After all, the man was trying to help…in his own rather eccentric manner.

Kakashi’s homework turned out to be…beyond intriguing. Lee simply couldn’t make himself put down the large, black book. Not even when dawn cracked the sky and Lee knew that the day would be torturous due to lack of sleep. Lee finished the last page of the book just before his alarm went off. He shut the book, the last word burned into his memory, clicked off the alarm and headed for the shower.

The hot water felt divine, and Lee stood and let it sluice over his skin. Exhaustion and curiosity and stupefaction warred in Lee’s mind and body. He had so many questions…He needed to speak to Kakashi and sort some things out.

But first he had to make it through the day. Lee shut the water off and sighed. Determination, he told himself. Thank goodness I have it in spades.

Lee arrived at the dojo on time, if slightly groggy, and Gai-sensei greeted him warmly. 

“Lee, good morning!” Gai said.

“Good morning, Sensei,” Lee replied, stifling a yawn. 

Gai started to say something and then spied the bandages on Lee’s arms. He walked around the counter and strode toward Lee, forehead furrowed.

“What happened to your arms, Lee?” Gai reached out as though he was going to touch Lee, and then he stopped short. Lee sighed.

“I was a bit too enthusiastic with training, Gai-sensei. It is nothing of concern, I promise. And I will not do it again.” Well, at least not for the same reasons if all goes well, Lee thought.

Gai nodded. “Lee…well, I insist that you go easy on yourself today. Lower body only, okay?”

Lee nodded thinking that was a blessing in disguise. He wasn’t sure if he could coordinate his limbs into full-bodied enthusiasm.

Somehow, Lee made it through two classes at the dojo, chores, and an entire day’s worth of interaction with Gai-sensei. Being utterly exhausted actually helped Lee when it came to Gai-sensei; he was so tired, he didn’t have time to do anything but act like himself. He didn’t have the energy to spare to think about dates, wardrobe, uncharacteristic alcoholic behavior, books, or love. It was hard enough to channel muscle memory. So, Gai-sensei didn’t seem to notice anything amiss, and Lee left the dojo in the early afternoon.

He walked two blocks toward the bar and called Kakashi, whose number had been on a slip of paper inside the black book.

Kakashi answered and agreed to meet Lee at Glow in half an hour. Lee hopped a bus and made it with time to spare. Leaning against the wall next to the front door, Lee shifted his weight from one foot to the other. His backpack felt heavy with the large book inside; felt heavier still with all that the black book implied. Lee still wasn’t terribly comfortable with the idea of speaking to Kakashi about Gai-sensei or about…everything else. But thoughts of all that his friends had done for Lee made him determined to persevere.

An hour later, Kakashi arrived, late as usual. Lee didn’t comment; he expected as much and was happily listening to his Ipod. 

Kakashi unlocked the bar, and Lee followed him inside.

“I thought you might get through the book a little faster than two days,” the older man said, smirking and flicking on lights. “But still, I’m impressed.”

Lee yawned.

“Didn’t sleep, eh?” 

“No,” Lee said.

“Here, sit down. I’ll go grab an energy drink for you.” 

Lee gratefully sat at a table while Kakashi vanished into the kitchen. He returned a moment later with a bottle of liquid energy, and Lee gratefully accepted it.

“Thank you,” Lee said and drained half the bottle.

“Sure,” Kakashi said, settling into a stool across from Lee.

“So, you read the entire book. What did you think?”

“It was…highly informative,” Lee said. 

“Did you like it?” Kakashi asked, his head tilting to one side.

Lee licked his lips. “Not all of it,” Lee admitted. 

“But some of it? Most?” Kakashi asked.

Lee considered. Nervous energy hovered on the edges of Lee’s brain, but exhaustion let him ignore it. This conversation wouldn’t be easy, but it was definitely necessary. 

But maybe not all the details were necessary. Because while Lee probably could tell Kakashi that he’d spent half the night learning new ways to read and jerk off at the same time, Lee didn’t particularly want to divulge that information.

“Most,” Lee finally said in a near-whisper. 

Kakashi grinned and leaned back in his chair. “I knew it,” he said.

“But more than anything I want to know why you loaned me this book. As opposed to others, I mean.”

Kakashi’s lips pulled back into a feral smile. “I think you know why, Lee.”

Lee gulped down more of the energy drink and didn’t meet Kakashi’s gaze. Last night while reading the text Lee remembered Kakashi saying something about Gai-sensei wanting Lee to be with someone less “deviant.” At the time, Lee assumed Kakashi meant Gai-sensei thought his desire of someone much younger than him was the deviant part.

Then Lee read the book.

And now he wasn’t sure of anything.

“He…does he like this book…too?” Lee asked, finding it hard to say Gai-sensei’s name.

Kakashi nodded. “It’s one of Gai’s favorites, Lee, and I’m going to tell you why that is so maybe you’ll stop looking like something’s going to bite you.” Kakashi’s tone was a bit dry.

Lee fought the urge to squirm in his seat. Lee didn’t know how to explain to Kakashi everything the book inspired. Lee didn’t have the right vocabulary to elaborate on the depths of his surprise, pleasure, confusion, and…well, fear, Lee supposed. Anxiety. He wiped his palms and drank more, his mouth dry.

“I’m sorry, Kakashi, it’s just-“

Kakashi held up a hand. “I know what it is. I didn’t let you read the book because I want you to learn the ins and outs of BDSM in one sitting. I let you read it because you need to know what Gai likes – or at least get a reasonable idea. And I needed to know if you were going to object to any of it. I spent entirely too many years convincing Gai that there was nothing wrong with needing things a bit out of the ordinary in the bedroom. I’m not about to let one twenty-year-old upstart undo all my hard work.” Kakashi arched a silver eyebrow at Lee.

Lee nodded. Perhaps a little too enthusiastically.

Kakashi smiled. “I’m glad you understand, Lee. Now, tell me what theme you noticed from your nocturnal sojourn into the land of educational erotica,” Kakashi said, grin on his lips and drama in his voice.

“This is the quiz?” Lee asked, pensive.

“This is the quiz,” Kakashi said, but his eyes danced with amusement.

Lee nodded seriously and then spoke slowly, considering each word carefully. “There was a ton of…er, well…formal speech,” Lee said. “And lots of…ahm, interesting…tools?” 

Kakashi nodded and gestured for him to continue.

“And it always involved somebody getting tied up,” Lee said.

“Exactly!” Kakashi said. “A+, Lee. The word you’re looking for is ‘bondage.’ And in this case, it’s rope bondage more often than not.”

“As opposed to…” Lee said before he could stop himself.

Kakashi shrugged one shoulder. “As opposed to leather or cuffs or benches or crosses or-" Kakashi stopped when Lee’s face threatened to implode, it was so red.

“I see,” Lee rasped. He felt like his dick had been hard for a century, and he prayed to all the little gods of obliviousness that Kakashi didn’t notice. He was embarrassed and overwhelmed as it was. At least Lee didn’t have to think twice about what his body thought of Gai-sensei’s…preferences. 

Kakashi laughed. “Well, it looks like you two will be very well matched after all.” He leered at Lee. “And hopefully I’ve managed to catch you early enough that you won’t have any of Gai’s hang-ups.”

Lee sat and thought for a moment. He felt many things when he thought about the book…and Gai-sensei liking the book…Gai-sensei reading…doing the things described on the pages…doing those things to Lee…

Lee flushed.

“I don’t…really see anything wrong with…well, anything in the book, really. I may not want to…well, try everything.” Lee swallowed. “But I don’t think it’s…wrong.” It was hard to admit that for whatever reason, but Lee felt it was important. 

“Good, Lee.” Kakashi seemed genuinely pleased.

“And if Gai-sensei likes this book, and you wanted me to read it because it shows what he likes…” Lee thought aloud.

“Go on,” Kakashi said, resting his chin on one hand and letting Lee work this out for himself.

“…and you think I’ll have to do something drastic to get Gai-sensei’s attention, and you felt it was important to know if I objected to the main theme in the book…”

Lee paused. Then his features formed an expression that was as close to devious and conniving as Lee got.

“Kakashi,” Lee asked, looking up to meet the white-haired man’s gaze. 

“Hm?” Kakashi practically purred.

“Do you know how to tie knots?” 

***

Lee was a quick study and a hard worker. Kakashi gave him every book he owned on knot tying, and showed Lee first hand how all the knots worked. Lee did his own research, too, spending hours getting lost on the web.

It was hard to continue training at the dojo while he and Kakashi schemed, but Lee did it. Kakashi told him that acting would be a key part to the entire plot, and of course he was right. Lee thought he did remarkably well considering that every time Lee looked at Gai-sensei he saw him tied up and helpless.

It was distracting to say the least.

Days went by and Lee lost sleep as he read and practiced with rope. Then finally Sunday arrived. The previous Friday, Lee and Kakashi decided that Lee knew enough. They went over the plan – how Lee would get Gai-sensei into a chair, what he would say. Lee was fifteen varieties of nervous, the fear of failure practically leaving him breathless.

Nevertheless, Lee stoically packed his backpack with nylon rope and then dressed in an outfit that both Ino and Tenten assured him looked fabulous. He let Ino do the thing with the minty-smelling stuff and his hair again. He told his uncle he probably wouldn’t be home that night. Then he left the house and headed for the dojo, the weight of his future with Gai-sensei – or lack thereof – measured in coils of rope and Lee’s eternal hope.

And now, as Lee sat straddling a confused, aroused, and completely helpless Gai, Lee felt a surge of triumph that managed to override his fear of failure. The weeks of anxiety and disappointment made Lee angry and fueled his courage. Hours of practice and preparation gave him confidence. 

And sheer lust gave Lee the desire to do what came next.

“T-talk?” Gai said, his voice strained.

Lee stroked fingertips over Gai’s cheeks, his touch feather light.

“Yes, Gai. Talk.”

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	11. Chapter 11

Gai shook his head as though clearing away a bad dream.

“Lee,” Gai said, his voice stern and face disapproving. “I don’t know who gave you alcohol or what’s gotten into you, but this is far from…proper. You need to stand up and un-“

Lee cut Gai off mid-command by placing his hand over Gai’s mouth. His brain threatened to fry as he struggled to follow through with Kakashi’s advice on this particular part. 

Acting, Lee…think of it as acting.

“Gai,” Lee said, his voice as harsh and commanding as he could manage. 

“Shut up.”

Leaning so close that their noses nearly touched, Lee looked directly into Gai’s startled eyes as he spoke. 

“Gai, right now you’re tied to a support pole, and I’m still free to do as I please. That makes me in charge, and that means you’re going to listen to me.” Lee applied more pressure over Gai’s mouth. 

“Do you understand?” Lee asked.

This was it: Gai was either going to agree or he was going to yell at Lee to get the hell of off him, make Lee untie him, and then beat Lee into senseless submission with dumbbells. And Lee couldn’t really argue the logic of the latter.

So Lee waited with his heart thudding in his chest.

Gai blinked once and then moved against Lee’s hand as he nodded. Lee nearly fell over in relief.

“I’m going to take my hand away and you’re not going to talk unless I ask you a direct question.” 

Again, Gai nodded. Lee tried his best to keep his hand from shaking as he pulled it away from Gai’s mouth. Lee’s heart slowed down a bit when he saw that Gai didn’t look angry, exactly. More confused, perhaps a little hurt. And something else that Lee couldn’t identify.

The next part would be really tricky as it would show Lee’s inexperience. Well, Lee quickly corrected himself, to be fair, this entire plan showed Lee’s inexperience. It’s not like he’d ever tied a man up before, after all. But he’d never tried to seduce anyone, either, and knots were a piece of cake in comparison.

Focus, Lee.

Doing his best to set aside his desire to throw his arms around Gai’s neck and beg forgiveness, Lee shifted so that his hands touched Gai’s face again. Lee stalled for time and allowed himself to build up courage by tracing his fingers over Gai’s cheekbones, his eyebrows, down over his jaw. Gai just watched; his eyes dazed, mouth slack.

Lee worked his hands down to Gai’s shoulders and then behind Gai’s neck. He let his fingers dig into the muscles there, and Gai’s eyelids fluttered as Lee found a tender spot. Lee dug deeper into the tissue of Gai’s neck and shoulders, and Gai’s head tilted forward, his upper body relaxing by inches. Forgetting himself, Lee leaned down and ran his lips over Gai’s hair, breathing in the smell of his shampoo. Then he straightened and drew a shaky breath.

“So…” Lee said. “You didn’t like the flowers.”

Gai froze. Lee’s hands kept kneading even as the muscles beneath the pads of his fingers turned into steel.

“Or the tree or the balloons.”

Gai’s breath hitched, and Lee saw the muscles of his jaw working.

“The stuffed bear was a waste of money.”

Gai turned his face down and away, and Lee’s heart clenched for a second before he remembered exactly how much that damned bear cost.

“I spent days finding that book on Ebay, you know. At least that one made it onto an actual shelf.”

Lee channeled anger and Kakashi and wove his fingers into Gai’s hair, gently. Gai shook his head as if trying to dislodge them.

“And then I gave you chocolate…”

Lee sucked in a quick breath and twisted his hand, yanking Gai’s head back. Shock etched itself into Gai’s features, and he winced as Lee tugged sharply on his scalp.

“And you actually gave the candy back to me. Do you have any idea how awful that was?” Lee asked. And he found that he did want Gai to answer that one.

“Do you?” Lee asked again, pain in his voice.

Gai licked his lips and his arms flexed hard against the ropes. They held.

“Some,” Gai finally answered.

“So you knew the gifts were from me?” Lee asked and he made no effort to keep the disbelief and hurt out of his voice. He did, however, tighten his grip on Gai’s hair, and the older man closed his eyes.

“I didn’t at first,” Gai confessed. “But I knew when you gave me the book.” 

A surprising amount of anger welled up inside of Lee. It shocked him, and he released Gai’s hair. Gai’s head fell forward for a moment and then he looked up at Lee.

“I’m sorry if I…hurt you, Lee,” Gai said, his voice hollow. “But it’s for the best. And now you have to untie me, Lee.” The man bucked hard against the rope, and Lee grabbed the support pole for balance. Gai did it again, the ropes straining, and Lee stood up and stepped away. 

Lee watched as Gai struggled, his sensei’s expression determined. The knots held and Gai only managed to tighten the ropes holding down his arms. Gai made a very frustrated noise.

“Lee, untie me.”

Still angry, and now for multiple reasons, Lee turned and quickly walked over to a storage cabinet. He shut down the part of his brain that babbled in disbelief as Lee hunted for something specific. Doubt wouldn’t do him any good right now.

“Lee,” Gai warned.

Lee threw aside what he didn’t need and turned back to where Gai sat. Gai couldn’t quite turn his head around to see what Lee held in his hand, and Lee used that to his advantage. It occurred to him with absolute certainty that if the rest of this plan didn’t go well, Gai might very well never speak to him again. His heart ached at that thought, and then he pushed it aside in lieu of Kakashi’s advice.

If he doesn’t cooperate, make him.

Moving to stand directly behind Gai, Lee threaded the cloth belt through his hands. Then he swiftly reached an arm over Gai’s face, which worked nicely to make him stay still, and blocked his eyesight for a second or two. That was all Lee needed to grasp the belt and quickly yank it back and over Gai’s mouth.

Reflexively, Gai gasped, and Lee pulled the makeshift gag between Gai’s lips. He had just enough time to get the belt into one hand before Gai thrashed again. Lee held onto the fabric easily enough, moving with Gai as he struggled. He didn’t have much room to flail, the ropes around his arms restricting how much Gai’s torso could move. Lee used that to his advantage and shoved Gai forward, putting strain on his arms. Gai grunted and stopped moving long enough for Lee to twist the belt snug. 

Then Gai shook his head and snarled, and Lee nearly lost the belt. Thinking fast, Lee yanked on the fabric with one hand and wrapped his torso around Gai’s head, pulling him into Lee’s chest. He braced Gai against the crook of an elbow and squeezed when Gai tried to move again. It was awkward, but it worked. Lee pulled one end of the belt under the other and then managed to get it tied off behind Gai’s head.

Lee stepped away, panting with tension and effort. Then he stopped breathing and nearly crumbled as Gai glared at him with boiling anger. 

Kakashi, if this hurts Gai in some long-term way, I will kill you, Lee thought. Then he straightened.

“I asked you…” Lee began, but his voice sounded much more placating than authoritative. “I told you,” Lee tried again. “Not to speak unless I asked you a question.”

Gai looked at Lee for a long moment, his chest heaving and rage in his gaze. Then the violent emotion faded a bit and something like comprehension dawned on his face. Then Gai swallowed hard and lurched violently to the left. The rope didn’t give – the loops and knots simply wouldn’t let it – but the skin on Gai’s arm wouldn’t take much of that kind of abrasive abuse.

“Gai-" Lee started, but watched in horror as Gai repeated the move but to the right. The movement was fierce, violent, and desperate. Skin went red and raw, and the chair tilted a little. Lee panicked.

“Gai, stop it,” Lee cried as he swiftly moved and sat back down on Gai’s lap. Gai bucked upward this time, trying to dislodge Lee, but Lee wrapped his legs around the chair and gripped the beam behind Gai. The position forced Gai’s head back, Lee’s shoulder under his chin. Gai panted around the belt, his eyes closed and expression strangely calm. 

“Please,” Lee said, softly, pleading. “Just stop and listen.”

For a moment, they just breathed in the utter silence of the dojo.

Then Lee took a chance and released the support beam with one hand and moved it to brace a palm against Gai’s shoulder. When Gai stayed still, he angled his head and gently kissed Gai’s neck, right over the throbbing pulse point. The grand speech Lee planned was shot to hell, mostly by nerves and Gai’s rather violent reaction to Lee’s words and efforts to silence his sensei. So Lee improvised.

Loving the taste of Gai even as his nerves jangled in anticipation of his sensei’s next thrashing fit, Lee placed open-mouthed kisses on Gai’s neck and shoulder. He gently suckled the skin at the juncture of neck and collarbone, and when Gai didn’t move or make a sound, Lee released the support beam entirely and ran one hand through Gai’s hair. 

“Gai,” Lee whispered. “I need to tell you something.” Heady desire burned through Lee as Gai willingly tilted his head to the side, ever-so-slightly. Lee took it as an invitation and nibbled his way up the column of Gai’s throat. Lee could feel Gai’s chest rise and fall, hear his breath around the belt, but Lee didn’t dare look at Gai’s face…not yet. The confession was on his tongue but his nerves dominated everything else.

“The day you gave me the chocolate-" Lee broke off as Gai tensed. He moved his hand from Gai’s hair to his shoulder and dug his fingers into the hard flesh there. He kneaded the skin and moved so his lips kissed behind Gai’s ear. Gai shuddered and Lee did it again, feeling his sensei relax by millimeters.

“That day, I was almost rude to you. I was upset about the gifts, and I just needed…some space. And so I went to take a shower.” Lee stopped again, not sure how to continue. He passed time by peppering more kisses over Gai’s skin: over his neck and the side of his jaw. 

“I heard something while I was…bathing,” Lee said carefully. “And so I got dressed and went to look. I didn’t see anyone, but as I was leaving the dojo, I saw the door to your house standing open.”

Lee licked his lips and moved so that he spoke directly into Gai’s ear, his voice barely audible. “And I saw you.”

Gai blew a harsh puff of air out around the gag and made a soft noise. Lee’s hands roamed, smoothing over skin like one would soothe a wild horse. 

“And I didn’t leave. I stood in your doorway and watched you…Gai…Sensei…I watched you, and I jerked off while I did it.”

Lee felt Gai’s sex twitch beneath him, and Gai made a keening noise and pulled away from Lee, turning away as much as he could. For a second Lee panicked, thinking that Gai was angry, but he felt the cock under his leg pulse to life. Despite the physical reaction, however, something about Gai’s posture reminded Lee of a wounded animal. Something beaten.

Lee realized then with sudden and rare clarity that Gai hated himself – really and truly – for being turned on by the idea of his student playing the part of a voyeur. He hated the rope, his position and the desire to be there. Gai resented Lee’s willing affection in some ways, because, Lee realized, it made Gai’s own affection harder to restrain. Gai hated that he wanted and loved Lee. 

Kakashi was absolutely right, but Lee thought that maybe even Kakashi couldn’t guess the depth of this loathing.

Lee couldn’t have that.

“Don’t hate me, Gai, please, don’t be angry.” Lee begged, not caring in the least that he was supposed to be the one in charge. He’d beg if it worked. He would do anything to show Gai that Lee wanted him as much as he hoped Gai wanted Lee. He was a willing participant in this plan – not some poor idiot dragged into a situation that he didn’t understand.

Lee gently wrapped an arm under Gai’s head and pulled him upright. Gai didn’t fight Lee, which was a positive. Lee put his lips to Gai’s forehead and dragged his mouth down the side of his sensei’s face until his lips were level with the other ear. 

“I was just finishing what I started in the shower. Thinking about you, wanting you. I imagined you were there with me, touching me. Telling me how hard I m-made you.” Lee stammered but recovered by slowly shifting a bit and sliding one hand down until it rested on Gai’s thigh. Lee’s pulse hammering a hard rhythm, he carefully moved his hand until it rested gently over Gai’s erection. 

Then Lee sat back, finally, and looked at Gai. Hazy, dazed eyes met Lee’s.

“Did you…did you see me in the shower?” Lee asked softly.

Gai blinked slowly and then nodded just as slowly. 

“Oooh,” Lee moaned, no more than a toned breath. Gai’s eyes widened and he swallowed. Lee gently stroked Gai through his pants with the flat of his palm. Gai’s body was taut with strain, and he breathed harshly around his gag.

“I need to tell you something else,” Lee said. This was it: make or break. “Gai, I know about Anko.”

Gai’s eyes focused on Lee, and his eyebrows pulled down into a frown.

“Kakashi told me,” Lee said. “Don’t be angry with him; he was trying to comfort me after you got my flowers.” It was more-or-less true.

Lee licked his lips and placed both of his hands on Gai’s chest. 

“Gai, I know you think that you shouldn’t…feel the way you do about me.” 

Courage, Lee, dammit, courage.

“That you shouldn’t love me,” Lee amended. “But I think you’re wrong.”

Lee looked pleadingly into Gai’s eyes and put everything he could into his words. “I love you, Gai. I have loved you for a long time, and I do not think I will ever love anyone else. Even if you do not love me back. Even if you feel that you cannot. Even if you…” Lee broke off, fear and desire and power creating a heady cocktail that made Lee dizzy.

“Even if you do not speak to me after tonight. I had to try something drastic, Gai. Nothing else I did worked. And I know you like this.” Lee pulled gently on one of the ropes holding down Gai’s arms. Gai looked sharply at Lee.

“And I am sure you know my source of information, but please do not be mad at him or me. Please,” Lee begged. “Because I…love that you like it, Gai. I love you, and I want all of you. I dream about you…wanting me. In all sorts of ways. And doing all sorts of things.” 

Lee knew he was babbling, but he couldn’t look away from Gai’s stare, which was so intense it threatened to burn Lee’s eyes. They sat that way for a moment, Lee unsure of what to say next. Then Gai jerked his chin up at Lee and pushed the gag with his tongue. Lee hurriedly reached around Gai’s head and untied the belt, throwing it to the side.

“Lee,” Gai said, his voice harsh with feeling. “You don’t know what you’re saying.”

“I do, too!” Lee nearly yelled. “I know exactly what I’m saying and exactly what I mean.” Lee frowned fiercely at Gai. “I just tied you to a pole and wrestled a gag into your mouth, Gai. I know what I’m saying.” Lee paused. “And I know what I want.”

“And you want…” Gai started.

“You. Just you.” Lee leaned forward until their foreheads were touching. “And I know you want me, too.”

“Lee…”

“Please, Gai, please, stop fighting yourself and being stubborn. It is…killing me.” 

Lee leaned back and now their noses touched. Lee’s eyes were mostly closed. His brain was lost in a fog of quiet desperation. He really felt that if Gai didn’t say he wanted Lee, then Lee would just…end. Not die, not harm himself, simply wink out of existence. His nerves were raw with too much emotion, his chest ached, and he wanted nothing more than to hear his beloved Gai admit the truth and kiss him. Kiss him and hold him and touch him everywhere. He wanted – needed – with such intensity that he thought it would eat him alive.

“Gai, tell me you love me or tell me to leave,” Lee said, and it nearly broke him into pieces to say the words.

“Lee,” Gai said, his voice incredibly gentle. “You’ve no idea…”

“Then tell me.”

“Look at me,” Gai whispered. 

Lee obeyed and felt like he was looking at Gai for the first time. His eyes shone with such emotion that Lee quaked and shivered.

“Lee, I’ve loved you since I met you,” Gai said simply. 

“Do you love me now?” Lee asked.

“I do, Lee, of course I do.”

“Do you…want me?” 

Gai’s eyes clouded with need and he shifted his hips. “I want you.”

“Then stop fighting me and start loving me,” Lee said. Then he leaned forward and brushed Gai’s lips with his own. He backed off and panted, his breath falling on Gai’s open mouth. He kissed Gai’s bottom lip, gently. Then he kissed the top one, then the corner of Gai’s mouth.

“Untie me, Lee, please,” Gai whispered.

Lee pulled back and looked at Gai, suspicious. Gai chuckled, his lips moving into a half-smile of amusement.

“Trust me,” he said and his eyes danced with hunger. “I’m not going anywhere without you.”

Lee nodded and then extricated himself from Gai, nearly losing his balance as he did so. He felt disconnected from his limbs and in danger of melting. His thoughts simmered on the way Gai’s lips felt, the way his hardness felt beneath his palm, the taste of his skin…Lee shivered and his breath hitched in lust and love and complicated feelings Lee didn’t – couldn’t – sort through.

Instead, he focused on taking the scissors to the rope and not cutting himself or Gai. 

And unbidden his mind rushed ahead to what, exactly, would happen once Gai was free.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	12. Chapter 12

With shaking fingers, Lee cut the last bit of rope. Gai quickly shook the cord off his skin and stood, dragging Lee up with him. Strong arms wrapped around Lee and pulled him into Gai’s chest. Distractedly, Lee marveled at how the difference in their height allowed Lee to rest his cheek on Gai’s shoulder. It was nice.

“Lee, I’m so sorry,”Gai murmured. “So sorry I hurt you.” 

Hands roamed over Lee’s back, and rubbed at the nape of his neck. Gai’s hands seemed to be everywhere – as though now that he was allowed to touch his fingers couldn’t stop. Gai brushed his cheek against the top of Lee’s head, still softly apologizing. Then he reached down and pulled one of Lee’s arms from around Gai’s waist. Lee watched as Gai brought Lee’s hand up and inspected the scratched and scabbed skin. Lee took the bandages off days ago – he healed quickly – but his hands still carried the marks of his frustration.

“I did this,” Gai said as though speaking to himself. Lee wasn’t surprised that Gai guessed how he got the wounds. They knew each other well, after all. Gai brushed his lips over the worst of the scabs and sighed. “I’m such a damned idiot. So sor-"

“Gai, I forgive you,” Lee interrupted, and Gai looked up. Their eyes met and this time when Lee saw the sadness there, he didn’t stop himself from instinctually touching Gai. Lee’s fingertips grazed Gai’s lips and traced over a cheek. Lee didn’t carry grudges – especially not against his most special person. He looked tenderly at Gai, still touching his sensei’s face.

“Just don’t do it anymore,” Lee said seriously.

“I’ll make it up to you, Lee, I swear it,” Gai said, low and fierce. 

“I know how you can make it up to me,” Lee said.

Gai’s arms tightened around Lee, and his eyelids dropped lower over his eyes. 

“How?” Gai whispered.

Amazed at his boldness but knees a little weak, Lee tilted his head up and let his mouth slide gently over Gai’s. Both men kept their eyes open, looking at one another and waiting. Lee’s heart fluttered, and he told himself that it was all right. Gai loved him – he said so. He wouldn’t push him away, he would – 

\- grab Lee and kiss him hard enough to bruise. After a breathless second, Gai eased up on the pressure and suckled Lee’s lips, tongue tasting and teeth gently nibbling. Lee’s mouth fell open, and Gai’s tongue slid along Lee’s, lashing, licking, loving. Lee had never been kissed like this: like he was food and air at the same time, and Gai needed him to survive.

With a helpless noise, Gai fell back into the chair and pulled Lee on top of him. Gai broke away from Lee’s mouth and kissed his chin, jaw, and over each closed eyelid. 

“Wanted to do this for years,” Gai said softly as he pulled Lee closer and kissed his neck. “You taste so good.”

Lee breathed out a single syllable of need and let his hands slide over Gai’s bare skin. The touching made him feel greedy, and Gai’s lips worrying the skin of his neck made him feel feverish and weak. It was all so new and Lee’d dreamt about this for so long that the physical contact made part of his mind think he was dying.

And then Gai’s hands roamed down and gripped Lee’s ass and ground him against Gai’s lap. Lee moaned in the back of his throat and his nails dug into Gai’s skin. His mouth found Gai’s and the kiss was ferocious and desperate.

“House,” Gai said huskily when he finally pulled away from Lee’s mouth. Lee could only swallow and nod, his heart racing. Clumsily, Lee stood up and Gai followed suit. Gai grasped Lee’s hand, and Lee obediently followed his sensei out of the dojo and along the path that led to Gai’s home. The humid night air on Lee’s skin and Gai’s warm hand pulling him along helped to remind Lee that this was real and absolutely not a dream. No matter how surreal it felt.

All thought vanished again when they reached Gai’s front door. Gai tugged sharply on Lee’s arm and pushed him roughly back against the entrance to his house, his lips finding Lee’s. Gai’s tongue danced with Lee’s as he dug into his pocket for a key and somehow managed to kiss Lee senseless and unlock the door at the same time.

Gai pulled Lee to him as he opened the door, maneuvered them both inside, and then shut and locked the door. Lee felt pliable and languid despite the throbbing cock in his jeans. It was dark inside the house, the drapes drawn, lights off. Lee knew the interior well enough, but it was still disorienting. 

Lee didn’t get a chance to get too acquainted with reality before he felt Gai’s hands moving him again. Gai turned Lee and then pushed him gently against a wall face-first, Gai’s hand under Lee’s cheek to cushion the blow. 

“Mm, Lee,” Gai half-moaned. Gai pressed the length of his body against Lee’s and nibbled at his ear. He pulled back on Lee’s hips, putting some space between the younger man and the wall, and then ground himself against Lee’s ass. Lee gasped, the sensation of Gai’s hard dick against him sending Lee’s mind spinning. Gai chuckled low and soft into Lee’s ear and every hair on Lee’s body stood on end. 

This was better than any dream or fantasy. The feel of Gai’s body, the way his mouth tasted, the steely heat pressing against him…Lee shuddered.

“Tell me,” Gai whispered as he traced light fingertips down to cover and grasp Lee’s hands. Then he slid them up on the wall above Lee’s head. 

“T-tell you?” Lee stammered, letting Gai move him how he wanted. 

Gai made a low noise and nuzzled Lee’s neck. “Have you ever been with someone like this, Lee?”

Lee swallowed. The two men never spoke about Lee’s relationships or lack thereof, so Lee supposed it made sense for Gai to ask now. His thoughts were interrupted when Gai none-too-gently kicked Lee’s legs wider. He now leaned against the wall like he was about to get frisked. Lee’s heart pounded in his chest at the thought.

“No,” Lee said, breathless.

Gai’s hands pressed against Lee’s – a silent command to hold still. Then Gai dragged rough fingertips down Lee’s arms and sides and slipped under Lee’s shirt. Gai’s hands were hot against Lee’s skin, and Lee could hear himself practically panting.

“Never?” Gai asked, his voice still rumbling directly in Lee’s right ear.

“N-no…well…” Lee paused to lick his lips, momentarily distracted by Gai’s hands caressing his stomach, tickling over his ribs. The new exploration over bare skin felt incredible. Lee pushed away from the wall a fraction of an inch to give Gai better access, but the hands stopped moving when Lee stopped speaking.

“I did make out with Ino once, but it was terrible,” Lee amended. 

Lee felt Gai smile against his ear and felt the soft kiss against its shell. 

“But no lover’s ever done this…” 

Lee was about to answer that, no, nobody had ever held him against a wall and made him want to beg for mercy. But then Gai’s fingers found his nipples, circled lightly, and then pinched gently once, twice. 

“Oooh,” Lee breathed, and Gai did it again only harder. Lee flinched. Until that moment Lee had no idea that nerves in his chest were connected directly to his cock, but he knew now.

“No?” Gai whispered, still toying with Lee. His thumbs and forefingers squeezed and pulled the hardened nubs, and Lee felt a flash of helplessness and need.

Lee rolled his head against the wall, a negative.

“And no one’s ever undressed you in the dark?” Gai whispered and Lee shivered as hands pulled his shirt up and off. Then those hands were everywhere again: touching, exploring. Gai reached down to Lee’s belt and undid it slowly, the sound of the leather leaving the loops a harsh rasp in the quiet house. Lee trembled, beyond aroused and it was only beginning.

Gai shifted and Lee felt hands over his again – a press, stay. Then Gai grabbed Lee's hips and squeezed. 

“Don’t move,” Gai said softly and Lee thought he might not be able to even if he tried. 

Gai’s hands slid down and undid the top button on Lee’s jeans. Button fly – but Gai had no issue with that. He somehow managed to undo all the buttons without really touching Lee at all. 

Then Gai slowly slid his body down Lee’s legs, tugged on one leg to command it closer, and started working on Lee’s shoes. It took ten seconds and three times as many heartbeats.

The shoes came off, the pants followed, and without standing, Gai easily removed Lee’s boxers. Again – he did it without actually touching any of the parts that were dying to be touched. Lee’s legs trembled and he felt a soft kiss against his hip.

“Gai…” Lee whispered, desperate for something – anything. He tucked his face into his arm as something like amazement that he was naked with Gai kneeling next to him washed through him. It rendered him speechless.

“Well?” Gai said, and his tone indicated that Lee had forgotten something. 

Lee felt Gai move and then had half a second to register lips on his skin before teeth bit into the flesh of his ass cheek. Lee yelped, but he came back to himself a little, and his voice returned.

“No,” Lee said loudly. “No one’s ever…nothing…never…” Lee’s words dissolved into a moan as Gai licked and sucked the tender flesh. Lee’s mind floundered, and his breath hitched as helpless desire overtook him. This was his sensei taking control of him, putting him into a wall, touching his naked skin. Lee tried to remember how to breathe, and his hands made fists on the wall.

God, oh God…I’m not going to survive this.

Gai kissed the mark, nuzzling his face against Lee’s hip, and then stood quickly. He pulled Lee away from the wall and against his body, Lee’s head falling back on one shoulder. Hands roamed again and pulled Lee’s arms up and around Gai’s head. Gai’s touch traced the tender skin on the backs of Lee’s triceps and shorn underarms. Lee shivered, and Gai made an appreciative noise.

“Good,” Gai said. Lee didn’t have time to determine if Gai was responding to his answer or his hairless state because Gai stepped around Lee and knelt. Lee cried out as the world shifted and he suddenly found himself in a loose fireman’s carry over Gai’s shoulders. Lee’s hands scrambled over Gai’s back and arms trying to find purchase.

Gai laughed and playfully smacked Lee on the ass.

“Sensei!” Lee yelped and that earned another smack. They were moving now, through the living room and toward the bedroom. Lee didn’t like being carried in the least: it reminded him that no matter how much muscle he acquired, he would always be compact and lean in comparison to Gai’s wide and dense. If he’d thought about it rationally, he could have gotten down, but all he could think to do was squirm.

“Stop that,” Gai said, his tone oddly gentle. Lee felt one of Gai’s hands move up the back of his thigh and then dip between them. Fingers casually brushed up, over, and then into the cleft of his ass and Lee immediately stopped squirming. His eyes went wide and wild in the dark as the fingers continued their exploration seemingly without purpose – almost just prove they could touch there if they felt like it.

Lee made a strangled noise as he felt the depths of his inexperience coupled with the giddiness of finally being here in Gai’s house, over Gai’s shoulder, heading toward Gai’s bedroom. Lee felt dizzy again, like a tide was pulling him under.

Then Lee was airborn for a second until his back hit the soft comforter of Gai’s bed. Lee met Gai’s eyes as his sensei quickly stripped off his pants in a fluid motion. The windows in this room faced away from the dojo and looked out over the garden. The shades weren’t as dark and Lee could see more – his eyes adjusting quickly. Lee’s breath caught as he looked at Gai. Of course he’d seen the man naked before – training all these years, it was bound to happen.

But the hunger in his sensei’s expression was entirely new. Lee swallowed and then Gai was covering him, a knee forcing his legs apart, a mouth kissing his cheek, his chin, his lips. Gai’s tongue dominated Lee’s, and Lee wrapped his arms around Gai’s neck, pulling him closer. Lee raised his hips seeking friction, and Gai moaned into his mouth. 

Lee felt like a live wire – a needy thing made of want and lust driven to touch, hold, pull, taste. He wasn’t even sure what he wanted – not specifically. More of Gai’s hands, more of his mouth. He wanted many of the things he’d read in Kakashi’s books, but had no clue how to ask for anything. What if Gai didn’t do those things?

Then he heard Kakashi’s voice telling him that Gai loved rope and many things of that ilk, and all Lee could do was moan helplessly into his sensei’s mouth.

“God, Lee,” Gai gasped, pulling his mouth away. Lee felt one of Gai’s hands reach between them, felt fingers quest and move with purpose. Then Gai’s hand wrapped around Lee’s cock and rubbed it against his own, and Lee’s head went back, his mouth open in a surprised, “Oh.”

“So hot like this,” Gai panted, his hand stroking them both. 

“God, yes, oh, Gai, please…” Lee shook all over and his skin flushed. Gai sprinkled kisses on his shoulder and neck, licked over his Adam’s apple. Lee reached over his head and grasped at Gai’s headboard, which was made up of wrought-iron bars. He needed to do something or he’d fly apart. He gripped two bits of iron and pushed up into Gai’s hand, wanting more. The hand moving, the feel of Gai’s cock against his…oh God, too much…Lee gasped.

“Lee,” Gai said and Lee opened his eyes. Gai’s strokes never paused, but his gaze was on Lee’s hands above his head. Gai licked his lips.

“Gai?” Lee managed, thought struggling to clear the haze of pleasure.

“I want to…” Gai stopped and seemed to discard some idea. Lee swallowed, almost certain he understood. Lee threw a silent thank you to Kakashi and the author of that black book else he’d be completely confused.

Gai bent down to kiss Lee.

“Okay,” Lee said before Gai’s lips were on him. “Do it.”

Gai pulled back. “You don’t even-"

“Please,” Lee gasped. Lee hoped the single word managed both to give permission and beg Gai to get on with it. More, more, his mind screamed and his body echoed the need.

Gai’s expression grew equal parts tender and hungry. He kissed Lee and slowed his hand down by degrees and then pulled away. Lee ached for the lost touch and felt the precipice of pleasure slip away from him.

“Hold still,” Gai said, and anticipation sliced through his overheated core. Gai rolled gracefully off of Lee and to one side of the bed, an arm sliding down and searching for something. Lee heard a container shift on the floor, and he watched as Gai moved and sifted through unseen items. The process took mere seconds.

Then Gai moved quickly back to Lee, something in his hand. Lee forgot to breathe as Gai knelt next to Lee’s upper body and reached for the headboard. Metal clinked against the iron and then Lee felt something soft encircle his right wrist. Lee’s entire body pulsed and trembled as Gai buckled each wrist into the leather cuffs. A chain connected the restraints and looped around one of the iron bars. 

Lee suddenly and desperately needed to come. 

Breath expelling in a rush, Lee whimpered as Gai settled over him again. Lee arched his body up and into Gai’s when his sensei kissed him, his teeth gnashing and tongue lashing. Gai gave as well as he got, and Gai’s hand returned to Lee’s leaking cock. Lee made needy sounds against Gai’s mouth, and Gai chuckled low in his chest.

Gai pulled his mouth away and looked at Lee, his expression tender. That made the need worse, and Lee bucked his hips unconsciously, trying to make Gai move faster; trying to find the release that felt so close yet impossibly far away.

“Another question, Lee,” Gai said, his eyes sly. Lee ground his teeth together. The man wanted him to think? Now? 

Really?

“Sensei, please,” Lee implored with his eyes and pulled against the leather. The chain clanked, and Lee took a moment to think that karma was a bitch.

Gai swallowed and his eyes clouded with lust, but he shook his head. “Not yet. Tell me, if there’s been no one else, then where did that scene in the dojo-" Gai pulled away as Lee tried to lean up for another kiss. Lee’s sensei was not so easily distracted.

“Where did that come from?” Gai continued.

Lee gasped and closed his eyes as Gai shifted and kissed down his neck. Lee tilted his head to one side and felt Gai’s teeth nibble his collar bone. Then his sensei moved lower, tongue laving a hot trail down the center of Lee’s chest. He blew lightly on one hard nipple and teased the tip with his tongue.

“Books,” Lee gasped. “I read…about all of it.”

“Ah,” Gai said, apparently satisfied. He shifted again and his face was suddenly hovering over Lee’s, their noses touching.

“Lee, if I do anything you don’t like or want, tell me, okay? I don’t want…” Gai’s eyes shifted to Lee’s wrists and he bit at his lip, as if feeling the irony. Then he nuzzled Lee’s face gently. 

“I don’t want to go too fast for you.”

Lee swallowed. “I…I don’t like that your hand is moving so slowly,” Lee said. He hoped that managed to convey that going too fast wasn’t really a problem. Too slowly, however, was becoming an issue.

Gai looked sharply at Lee and then his face relaxed into an expression of pure wickedness and delight. He crushed his mouth to Lee’s, and Lee licked at Gai’s lips. He strained against the cuffs again, and Gai made a noise of pure desire.

Gai’s head dipped and he attacked Lee’s nipple and tightened his grip on Lee’s cock. Lee cried out, feeling over-sensitized and nearly insane with need. Every time he felt the tide ebb – felt a little bit of sanity return, his control attempting to surface – he remembered that this was Gai kissing him, touching him, stroking him, and then all he felt was heat.

But the pace still wasn’t fast enough, and Lee thrashed. 

“Tell me what you want, Lee,” Gai said as he moved to the other nipple and gently bit down on the tender skin.

Lee’s head rolled back and he grunted. “Faster,” Lee panted. “Please, faster.”

Gai complied, but loosened his grip slightly. Lee yanked hard against the cuffs and if the headboard had been anything but iron, it would have bent. But before he could complain – loudly – Gai spoke again.

“I know what I want, Lee, and what you’re going to do.”

That got Lee’s attention, and he felt Gai plant a kiss on his upper abs, felt him move lower, the bed creaking, his hand steadily moving on Lee’s shaft. Lee’s entire body tingled.

“What…what are you…”

“Look at me, Lee,” Gai commanded, and Lee opened his eyes to look down. His brain nearly overloaded at the sight of Gai’s hand on his throbbing cock, his lips on his skin, and Lee barely managed to meet Gai’s intense gaze.

“I want to taste you, and you’re going to come in my mouth,” Gai said, and his tone brokered no debate.

Lee made a noise like he’d been punched in the gut and watched as Gai positioned himself over Lee’s cock and pulled the head between his lips. Then Lee was lost and falling backward on the bed, moaning. Nothing – nothing – ever felt so good. He was overwhelmed with the heat of Gai’s mouth, the warm lap of his tongue just under the head – so sensitive Lee nearly came off the bed. Lee felt Gai suck hard and swirl his tongue once, twice.

Then Lee’s vision went white, his mouth hanging open in a startled gasp. 

“Gai-" Lee managed and then he was coming – hard and hot, emptying himself down Gai’s constricting throat as Gai swallowed and drank him down. Lee’s back arched at the peak of pleasure, and then he panted and shuddered in the aftereffects of the most intense orgasm of his life. Gai didn’t remove his mouth until the last tremor subsided.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	13. Chapter 13

Lee lay in a daze, too sated to move. Gai kissed Lee’s thigh and then pleasant tendrils swirled through Lee’s body as Gai moved down to kiss the side of Lee’s knee. He moved back up a couple of inches and bit and nibbled on Lee’s inner thigh, making Lee tremble. Then Gai repeated the process on the other leg, and Lee squirmed. Awareness slowly drifted back, and Lee flexed his hands in the cuffs. 

“Gai?” Lee said.

“Hm?” Gai placed a light kiss on Lee’s hipbone. 

“Could you…” Lee began. He didn’t want this to be over. It couldn’t be over, could it? He wanted much, much more…he wanted...

Oh, yes. 

That.

Lee’s eyes widened as he remembered a certain passage from one of the books that outlined exactly what he wanted. Lee’s breathing sped up at the mere thought of it. But he had no idea how to ask or even if Gai would comply. 

“Could I…?” Gai parroted back, moving up Lee’s body so that they were face-to-face. Gai seemed perfectly content to leave things here – his face was relaxed, his eyes gentle. 

Lee didn’t want Gai like this; he wanted him flushed, desperate, and forceful. Lee knew exactly how he wanted this to end – with Gai’s cock buried in Lee’s ass and Lee’s name on Gai’s lips as he came.

But first…

Lee swallowed. “Could you…could you untie me?” Lee asked. “I want to…do something for you.” 

Gai made a sound that was close to a purr and nuzzled Lee’s neck. Then he chuckled. 

“Something for me? Lee this was something for me.”

Lee made a frustrated noise. “Something else, then.”

“What do you want to do for me, Lee?” Gai asked, his expression still lazy, but his hands were roaming over Lee’s torso.

“To you,” Lee corrected softly. “And it’d be easier if I could just show you.” Lee felt sure he wouldn’t make it through the explanation if he tried.

“Please, Gai-sensei,” Lee whispered. Gai made a noise in his throat and leaned down to kiss Lee’s shoulder. 

“Say it again,” Gai commanded softly, not looking at Lee.

Lee frowned. “Please, Gai-sensei,” he repeated. Gai bit Lee’s shoulder on the word, “sensei.” Something in Lee’s brain clicked as he stored and interpreted something Gai liked.

“Sensei…please…” Lee felt a surge of lusty power when Gai moaned. 

“Let me,” Lee pleaded.

Gai rose up on his knees and undid the cuffs without further comment. Lee flexed his wrists for a second and then sat up for another kiss. Gai’s mouth was addictive, and when he tasted himself, Lee groaned.

Lee trailed a hand down Gai’s body and gently wrapped his fist around Gai’s erection. Lee pumped slowly and Gai’s mouth fell away from Lee’s, his eyes closing and breath coming faster. Lee shifted his gaze down and watched, fascinated, as his hand slid up and down his sensei’s shaft. Gai was broader than Lee in every respect, it seemed. Lee shivered at what that might imply for later, anticipation warming his veins again. 

Experimentally, Lee twisted his hand up over the head and then thumbed the slit. Lee knew what felt good on himself: maybe Gai would enjoy it. He leaned over and licked one of Gai’s dark nipples, and he felt Gai tremble. Lee thrilled at the reaction and sucked at the skin until he earned a soft groan. A bite earned him a harsh rasping noise. Lee smeared the moisture that slowly leaked from Gai’s cock head around, making his grip slicker. Then he stroked down and up, applying more pressure.

“Lee, oh,” Gai panted, and Lee’s gaze snapped up to look into Gai’s lust-filled eyes. Lee licked his lips.

“Could you get on your hands and knees?” Lee asked. “Please, Sensei?”

Gai made a noise that was close to a whimper and Lee watched his throat work as he swallowed. Then he nodded and moved to comply. Lee felt his heart pound as he shifted to kneel behind Gai. Impulsively, he wrapped his arms around Gai’s chest and pulled him up. Lee grazed his teeth from Gai’s shoulder to throat and then kissed lightly over Gai’s pulse. 

“Mm…Lee…what’re you going to do to me?” Gai emphasized the “to.”

“Just something I read…” Lee said. “Lean over, Sensei, forearms on the bed.” Lee bit his lip to stifle a “please” and thought he could learn to like the semi-commanding tone in his voice. He bit his lip harder when Gai complied without hesitation. Lee felt a brief moment of panic, then, as he looked longingly at the expanse of Gai’s back. He had no idea what he was doing. 

Breathe, he told himself. This can’t possibly be that complicated. Determination: use it.

Pulling in a deep breath, Lee leaned over Gai and pressed his body flush against his sensei’s. He kissed the back of Gai’s neck and balanced his weight on his knees. Then, just like he’d read in the book, he pressed both palms flat on either side of Gai’s spine. He licked a slow, wet trail down the ridges of backbone and moved his hands at the same time. It allowed Lee to shift slowly back on the bed, and he was proud that he managed not to pause or falter.

Without stopping the motion, he moved his hands to the globes of Gai’s ass and spread them apart while at the same time dipping his tongue down and into the space he created. He swiped his tongue over Gai’s entrance, the first pass light and quick. Everything tasted like skin and Gai, and Lee found himself a little relieved. 

Then he settled down behind Gai and licked back up, his fingers digging deeper into the flesh of Gai’s ass. Lee nearly moaned when he recalled the passage from the book that made Lee grab for his cock and come almost instantly while he read. He remembered what the man said he was going to do – 

Going to tongue-fuck you.

\- and Lee’s mind dwelled on the phrase, the word “fuck,” and the taste of Gai’s skin under his own tongue. He wanted to tongue-fuck his sensei senseless and make Gai writhe. 

He wanted it badly.

Gai went completely still as Lee’s tongue gently lapped over his most intimate entrance. Lee felt his nerves frizzle as Gai stayed silent when Lee circled the hole once, twice…Then Lee gently and cautiously pushed his tongue into that hidden place. The ring resisted, and Lee drew back to licking and lapping. He felt Gai jerk under his hands and Lee paused. When Gai remained quiet and still, Lee did it again: he narrowed his tongue and pushed through the resistance. There was an earthy taste to it, but definitely not bad. Lee pushed in a third time, deeper still.

“Ooooh, fuck, Lee,” Gai cried out and shook. Lee startled and leaned sideways to look at Gai on reflex. 

Gai’s forehead rested on the bed, his forearms shook with tension, and Lee could see his face twisted with what could only be pleasure and restraint.

Lee leaned back, gently bit Gai’s ass cheek, and then licked down the cleft again. This time Gai trembled more violently. And when Lee shoved his tongue back into Gai’s entrance without preamble and deeper than the last time, Gai cried out: a sharp, staccato sound.

“God,” Gai hissed. Lee closed his eyes and wetly shoved his tongue in and out of Gai with a steady rhythm. His head spun when Gai grew even more vocal, whimpers and growls filling the air. Encouraged, Lee shifted one hand down to caress the skin behind Gai’s balls. Then he gently palmed Gai’s testicles and rolled them, his tongue moving faster.

“Lee,” Gai panted. “Oh…oh, damn…”

Then Lee twisted his tongue on one of his thrusts and Gai made a strangled, animalistic noise and sat up. He grabbed Lee’s arm and yanked him down onto the bed, Lee bouncing with the force. Gai knelt on all-fours over Lee, panting. Sweat coated his face, and his eyes were squeezed shut. Lee’s cock stirred at the sight, already awake after listening to Gai’s reactions. Gai looked amazing like this.

Gai leaned down and bit Lee’s shoulder, hard. Lee gasped and wrapped his arms around Gai’s head as Gai sucked the skin savagely. Lee squirmed, amazed that he could do this to Gai. He felt proud and powerful and hot with heady desire to do more.

Abruptly, Gai broke away from Lee’s skin and his eyes focused on Lee’s. Lee’s heart skipped: this was what he wanted to see. Gai looked fierce, wild, and dangerous. Lee’s mouth fell open.

“Lee,” Gai said, his voice carefully contained. “Go to the top drawer of the nightstand and bring me back the strip of leather and the bottle of lube you find there.” Gai’s eyes bored into Lee’s, as if daring him to challenge the command.

Making a soft noise of assent, Lee scrambled to comply. He yanked open the drawer, grabbed the items, and then returned to kneel next to Gai on the bed. 

“Lay down on your back,” Gai said, his voice still full of controlled authority. Lee obeyed immediately. Gai set the bottle to one side and flexed the short strip of leather. It had three snaps on one side. 

“You will tell me if you want me to stop,” Gai said. Lee gulped in a lungful of air, too many emotions piling on top of one another to speak. He nodded. 

Gai looked at him for a few seconds and then nodded back, apparently convinced Lee would obey. 

“Spread your legs,” Gai said. Lee complied, and it felt like his legs weighed two tons each. Yes, this was what he wanted. Gai looked ready to eat him for dinner.

“Good boy,” Gai said and then reached down. With an incredibly gentle touch that belied Gai’s tone and expression, he slipped the leather strip around the back of Lee’s balls. Lee tried very hard not to flinch, and he rose up on his elbows to watch as Gai wrapped the leather around the base of his cock and then snapped it closed. It felt alien, strange… 

Amazing.

Lee panted in surprise as he went from semi-soft to diamond hard. The ring constricted but Lee liked it. A lot. He swallowed.

Gai smiled down in satisfaction at Lee, but his eyes still burned with unquenched lust. He grasped Lee’s calves and pulled Lee closer. Lee’s legs spread to either side of Gai’s kneeling form, his mouth open, breathing harsh, and brain full of white noise.

“Get the bottle, Lee,” Gai said. 

Lee groped the bed until he managed to grab onto the bottle of lubricant. Lee stared at it a moment and then looked up.

Gai rose up and then dropped his weight forward onto his left arm and supported himself above Lee. 

“Open it,” Gai said.

Lee’s fingers shook as he complied, and he found that he liked doing one thing at a time and following Gai’s commands. No thinking was involved.

“Pour some on my fingers, Lee.” 

Lee twisted a bit, and Gai offered his right hand. As Lee squeezed out the clear gel, Gai leaned forward and bit Lee’s earlobe. Lee’s eyes threatened to close but he concentrated on not spilling lube everywhere.

“Cover them, Lee. The three longest. Good,” Gai said as Lee complied. 

“Do it right,” Gai whispered into Lee’s ear. “’cause they’re going to be buried in your tight, virgin ass in a couple of seconds.”

It was a damned good thing that Lee had already finished coating Gai’s fingers because he dropped the bottle and pressed his forehead into Gai’s chest, moaning. The sheer wall of heat that Gai’s words produced in Lee’s body made his vision blurry.

“Lie back, Lee.”

Lee collapsed backward onto the bed, his eyes glassy.

“Put your arms under your body, palms up,” Gai said. 

Lee tilted his body from side to side and tucked away his arms as Gai asked. 

Gai grunted and then kissed Lee, hard: a press of lips to lips. Then Gai pulled back and said, “Spread yourself for me.”

Lee shook and trembled and made noises he didn’t know he could make. It wasn’t just that Gai was finally going to fuck him. It wasn’t just his intense anticipation and anxiety over how it was going to feel. It wasn’t even the vulnerable position of his body.

It was the sound of Gai’s voice, the force of his words, the commands, and the insane desire to obey. He wanted to do anything and everything for his sensei. 

Gai kissed Lee again as Lee spread himself with his hands. Then Gai pressed his weight over Lee so that his arms were trapped under his body. Lee made soft noises as Gai ate at his mouth, and Lee’s eyes flew open when he felt Gai gently touch and probe at his exposed entrance. 

Gai’s fingers pressed at the edges of the tense ring of muscle and Gai broke away from Lee’s mouth. 

“This will burn a little, Lee. Focus on relaxing the muscles I’m touching.”

“Please…” Lee managed and nodded.

Lee closed his eyes when he felt Gai’s finger slide inside his body. It felt odd, yes, that was the first thing that registered. And then Lee felt the burn of his body stretching and he breathed fast and hard. 

Oh shit.

It felt amazing.

“Relax, Lee,” Gai murmured and kissed him again. Lee tried and Gai flexed his finger inside of Lee, sliding in deeper. The burn was back and Lee whined in pleasure.

“Shh, Lee,” Gai’s voice was tender as he stopped moving his hand. Lee frowned.

“Sensei,” Lee said. “More.”

“In a second, Lee, let me-"

Lee opened his eyes and glared fiercely up at Gai. “No,” he said. “Now.” He shifted his body downward, relaxed, bore down, and managed to pull more of Gai inside himself.

An expression Lee couldn’t quite understand flew across Gai’s features. But it didn’t matter because Gai started moving his hand again, and Lee sighed. 

Then Gai slowly pushed a second finger into him, and Lee’s head pressed back against the pillows. The burn was absolutely delicious. If he relaxed his muscles entirely, Gai slid deeper, and then he could tense just like that…

“Oh, shit,” Lee said. 

Gai barked a sound that was halfway between surprised laugh and growl. Despite Lee’s sounds of encouragement, Gai took his time. He slowly fucked Lee with his hand and Lee thought he would come from that sensation alone. The need that sizzled through his body reminded him of his restrained cock, and his vision went gray.

“Tell me how it feels, Lee.” Gai’s voice was rough and his skin was slick with sweat.

“Burns,” Lee panted. “So…good…want…more…ah.” Lee bucked against Gai’s hand.

Gai hummed against Lee’s neck. “Tell me how the cockring feels, Lee.”

“Tight, so good. Sensei…please, more, oh God.”

The third finger burned much more than the first two, and Lee grit his teeth against the sensation. A war raged in his body: he loved the feeling and the burn but his body didn’t like the intrusion. Gai licked the shell of Lee’s ear; kissed and tasted everywhere he could reach without breaking his hand’s slow slide into Lee’s body. Lee felt Gai’s hand still, letting him adjust. Lee squirmed.

“Don’t stop,” Lee gasped.

Gai chuckled. “Not a chance in hell.”

Then Gai’s fingers moved a little, but not enough. Lee lifted his hips and Gai’s fingers seemed to shift inside him, searching. Lee frowned, about to beg again and then sudden pleasure lashed through Lee’s body in a shockwave. Lee’s eyes flew open and he stilled completely. 

What was-

Then Gai moved his fingers and did it again.

“Ooooh fuck!” Lee gasped, hoarse. Heat flared through Lee’s body, sweat beading on his skin. Gai answered with a moan and kissed Lee’s shoulder.

“Say it again,” Gai whispered into Lee’s ear. His fingers moved, and Lee jerked in pleasure. 

“Fuck, Sensei…oooh.” Lee jerked and Gai leaned back just enough to let Lee pull his arms out from under his body. He reached up and grabbed the headboard again. Lee’s wrists found their way back into the cuffs, as if seeking safety from the pleasurable onslaught of his body.

Gai leaned back down over Lee and sucked Lee’s lower lip into his mouth and nibbled. Lee was far beyond thinking, far beyond anything but feeling and wanting. 

“Can I bind your hands again, baby?” Gai asked and Lee nearly melted. 

“Oh yeah,” Lee said.

With one hand, Gai closed the cuffs onto Lee’s wrists and worked each of the buckles into place. Lee helped as much as he could, but then Gai moved his other hand and hit that spot inside Lee again, making Lee call out Gai’s name.

“Lee, you’re…amazing…like this,” Gai panted. He shifted and Lee felt his sensei’s throbbing cock against his thigh. 

“Tell me what you want,” Gai said. He slid down Lee’s body to bite and suck at Lee’s nipple, moving his fingers inside of Lee to make sure he was as stretched as possible. Lee pulled at the cuffs and sucked in a breath.

“Sensei…fuck me. I want your cock inside me. Make it burn, Sensei. Make me burn. Please fuck me.” 

For a moment, Gai was completely still and Lee listened to his own ragged breathing. His cock ached in its restraint, his ass felt spread and vulnerable, his body felt like flash fires were starting at every major nerve center. Then Gai blew out a harsh and shaking breath. He slowly pulled his fingers out of Lee, and Lee felt the bed shift as he repositioned himself. He heard the cap of the lube, heard the slick sound of Gai’s hand on his cock. 

Then Lee felt the thick press of Gai seeking entrance into his body, and Lee held his breath. Gai grabbed Lee’s hips, ran his hands over Lee’s wet skin. Then he slowly pressed into Lee’s body, and Lee’s eyes rolled as his asshole burned and stretched. Gai didn’t pause as he seated himself in Lee – just slowly sank deeper. Much deeper than fingers, and it was an entirely different feeling. Fleshier and with more drag and burn.

“Oh-oh, yes,” Lee sighed, remembering how to breathe. 

Gai stopped and Lee felt his sensei’s balls against his ass. Then Gai grabbed a pillow and lifted Lee to position it under his lower back. Lee heard Gai panting, felt the pulse of his dick deep inside.

Gai steadied Lee’s hips and then slowly pulled out and pushed back in. He leaned over Lee, his forehead resting on Lee’s shoulder. 

“So tight, Lee, God, so tight.” Gai made a strangled noise and panted against Lee’s skin. Lee nearly went out of his mind with the need for Gai to do something.

“Sensei – move,” Lee whispered.

Gai growled. “You want me to move, Lee?”

Steadying himself against the headboard, Gai pulled out slowly and slid back in making Lee gasp and shake. The burn was intense and he could feel the pleasure not far behind it. More, his body demanded. More.

“Or you want me to fuck you?” Gai growled. Then he pistoned his hips out of Lee and back in with force. The angle was dead on Lee’s prostate, and Lee howled.

Then Gai set a brutal pace, his hands bruising Lee’s hips. Lee cried out and then bit his lip against the noise, knowing he was loud. But it felt so good, and his hands were cinched into the cuffs, and his cock felt like it was going to burst, and need poured through him like electricity, and he sank under the ocean of pleasure. His body went slack as he let Gai do whatever he wanted. 

“Don’t do that,” Gai said and thumbed Lee’s lower lip from between Lee’s teeth. “I want to hear you.”

Lee moaned and the undeniable need for release poured through Lee.

“Sensei…please…”

Gai growled again, a deep noise in the back of his throat. One hand steadied Lee’s body and the other braced against the headboard, and all Lee could do was feel. Then Lee felt Gai shift away from him, and two strong hands lifted his lower body higher. Fingers dug deep into willing flesh, and Gai slowed his rhythm slightly, the angle making Lee see white with every stroke.

“Oh God, oh fuck, oh please, Sensei…” 

“I love it when you beg me, baby…tell me what you want,” Gai rasped.

“Need to…need to come, Sensei…please…”

Lee knew he kept talking, but he didn’t know what he was saying. He just knew he sounded wanton, plaintive, desperate. 

Then Lee felt Gai shift to one side, and his rhythm slowed a little more. Lee cried out in relief and pleasure as Gai undid the snap on the leather strap that bound Lee’s cock. Lee looked up at Gai and thought he could come from the view alone. Gai’s hair was sweaty and dark against his temples and forehead. His mouth was tense with exertion and from holding his own release at bay. When he sank into Lee’s body with a steadily increasing rhythm, his eyes closed in pleasure. 

“Lee, won’t last much longer,” Gai said. He pulled one of Lee’s legs up onto his shoulder, and then braced himself on one arm. One hand reached down and grasped Lee’s leaking, purple cock and stroked in time to his thrusts.

“Come for me, baby,” Gai said, looking into Lee’s eyes. 

“Sensei-" Lee moaned. He felt Gai’s hand on his cock, stroking hard and fast and perfect. He felt Gai moving deep inside his body hitting the place that made Lee’s vision go white with every second stroke. He felt his bound wrists, heard Gai whisper, “Baby…”

And Lee was gone. He flew over the edge toward release and came, calling out Gai’s name, hot white seed shooting out from his cock and coating Gai’s hand and Lee’s stomach. He tightened around Gai as his orgasm pulsed and licked through his body, and Gai collapsed onto Lee, groaning Lee’s name in his own release.

For several long moments neither of them moved, and Lee struggled to regain his breath. Lee’s muscles complained about his cramped position, and his wrists ached. Exhaustion worried the edges of Lee’s consciousness; two orgasms and the emotional roller coaster earlier making him want to sleep for a week. Lee licked his lips.

“…wow,” Lee said finally.

Gai chuckled and managed to prop himself up. 

“Yeah,” Gai said. He looked a little dazed. Then he shook his head and assessed the situation. He lowered Lee’s leg and then undid Lee’s wrists. Lee’s arms dropped onto the bed, boneless.

Then Gai carefully pulled out of Lee, and Lee hissed at the sensation. He could tell he would be sore, but it was beyond worth it.

“Be right back,” Gai whispered and kissed Lee’s cheek. Lee could do little else but lie on the bed like a limp ragdoll while Gai went into the bathroom adjacent to his bedroom. Lee’s mind was happily quiet, his body exhausted. For the first time in Lee’s memory he felt completely satisfied and utterly at peace.

Gai returned a moment later with a warm cloth. He wiped Lee’s face first and then cleaned his chest, stomach, and limp sex. Lee's eyelids weighed approximately ten pounds each.

A few moments later and Gai woke Lee up to make him swallow a couple of pills. Lee did so without comment, enjoying the feel of cold water on his sore throat. The next thing Lee knew, the bed shifted again with Gai’s weight, and Lee felt the warm press of Gai against his back.

“Love you, Lee,” Gai whispered.

“Love you, too,” Lee mumbled and snuggled back into his sensei’s embrace. Gai pulled a soft blanket over them both and then Lee fell into a deep, dreamless sleep.

~*~

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ∞ This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


	14. Chapter 14

It was the middle of the night, and Lee didn’t know where he was. Panic reached cold hands into Lee’s insides and grasped with a vice-like grip. Lee’s eyes flew open in the darkness, and he tried to get away, but something strong and firm held him down on his side.

Gasping for breath, Lee felt something rough against his neck and panic’s hands closed around Lee’s throat. Where was he? Why was he here? Why was it dark?

Lee tried to move again, this time with more force, but again, something held him down and also back against a warm, hard surface.

“Lee, listen to me,” a voice said. Lee tossed his head to one side.

“Lee, you’re safe. You’re in my bed, and you’re safe.” 

The voice was low, deep, and familiar.

“I’ve got you,” the voice whispered. “It’s okay.”

Lee listened to his own breathing in the silence of the room for a second, and then memory reared. Gai. He was with Gai – and they’d had sex, and it was amazing, and it was Gai’s body against his back.

“S-sensei?” Lee said, his chest still heaving.

“Mm,” Gai said. “It’s me, Lee.” A stubbled face nuzzled against Lee’s shoulder – so that’s what the rough surface was. Gai held Lee’s left arm tightly against Lee’s chest, and Gai’s hand held Lee’s other arm against the mattress under Lee’s pillow. Comprehension flooded Lee, and embarrassment followed. 

“I am sorry, Gai-sensei,” Lee whispered. 

“Don’t be, Lee,” Gai said and released Lee’s arms and lay back down. He pulled Lee tighter against him and sighed. 

“Just glad you’re awake now,” Gai said, his voice rumbling against Lee’s back.

“I haven’t had a night terror in a while,” Lee said. 

“That wasn’t a bad one,” Gai said. “I’ve seen you have much worse.”

Lee nodded. Gai had stayed many nights with Lee in various hospitals over the years; enough to see what happened when the panic gripped Lee in the early morning hours.

“I hope you get used to sleeping here, though,” Gai mumbled. “Because I love you in my bed – even if you do flail with vigor.” 

Lee felt Gai’s mouth form a smile and felt a soft press of lips against his neck.

“What time is it?” Lee asked. It felt like ten years since yesterday with all that had transpired.

“About 3:30,” Gai said. “Still time left to sleep before morning run.”

Lee laced his fingers through Gai’s and tried to form his next question in his mind before he spoke. 

“Do we…have to sleep?” Lee asked, his voice very quiet.

Gai made a noise that was equal parts amazement and frustration.

“I never thought in a thousand years that I’d be lucky enough to lay like this with you,” Gai said, his voice thoughtful. “And I definitely never thought that you’d be so enthusiastic about what one can do in the bedroom.” He paused. “Especially considering what I enjoy in the bedroom.” The last sentence was barely audible.

Lee shifted his ass against his sensei’s growing arousal in an effort to show Gai exactly how enthusiastic he could be.

“But it’s probably not a good idea, Lee,” Gai said. “I wasn’t exactly easy on you earlier, and-"

Lee didn’t care to hear the rest of the sentence. He appreciated that Gai wanted to be gentle with him, and that was nice. But Lee thought about how good the burn would be – about how good it felt earlier – and knew he needed Gai on board with this plan. He reached behind him and gently grasped Gai’s cock, making the older man sigh into Lee’s neck.

“Gai. I’ve read enough to know that we have to be careful not to cause permanent injury, but…I rather like the…” Lee struggled for a second before he managed to continue. “Burn,” Lee finished. There – that was the truth of the matter as best Lee could describe it. The cock in Lee’s hand jumped, and Gai’s breath hitched.

“The universe never fails to impress me with its enthusiastic kindness and sense of irony,” Gai said, his tone sardonic. “And God, that feels good, Lee,” Gai said breathlessly, his body thrusting into Lee’s hand.

Lee looked around, shifted the blanket off his body with one leg, hooked his foot around the discarded bottle of lube, and dragged the bottle closer. Training had many advantages – flexibility and muscle control were definitely two of them.

Lee uncapped the lube and pulled his hand away from Gai long enough to pour a generous amount into his palm. Then he reached back and continued stroking. Gai hummed and ran his hands over Lee’s torso, fingers finding nipples and gently pinching them to hardness.

“Sensei…” Lee gasped, anticipation warm in his veins. “I want you inside me…please…”

Moaning an assent, Gai reached down and pulled Lee’s top leg over his own and lifted it out of the way. Gai pulled Lee’s hips, arching his back into a slight bend. Then Lee felt Gai’s cock at his entrance, and he panted.

Slowly – achingly slow – Gai eased into Lee’s body. When Lee tried to shift to speed the process along, Gai’s hands held him in place. 

“We’re doing this my way or we’re not doing it at all,” Gai said softly. Lee whimpered, but the burn was back, Gai’s cock was in him, and he shut his eyes and gave in to the pleasure.

Gai continued to press into Lee’s body and then with the same aching slowness, he withdrew and pumped back inside. The angle didn’t allow for deep penetration, but the strokes hit Lee’s prostate often enough that Lee felt sweat break out over his skin. He shuddered and tried to pick up the pace, but firm hands held him.

“Lee,” Gai whispered. Lee arched his back even further and craned his neck. Gai took advantage of it and kissed and nibbled at Lee’s throat. Then he moved his mouth and breathed Lee’s name into his ear like a mantra. With every slow stroke, Gai whispered, “Lee.”

Time slowed and felt endless. Lee’s dick stood straight out from his body, leaking in need. He whimpered as Gai’s mouth nibbled and suckled his skin. And still the pace was slow, the rhythm excruciating and making Lee desperate for more. Lee’s body shook – the strain on his back and neck making muscles burn in fantastic ways.

“Touch yourself,” Gai commanded. “I want to see your hand on your dick.”

Lee’s breath went staccato, and his left hand moved down to stroke over his length. His right hand was trapped under the pillow by Gai’s supporting arm.

“Slower,” Gai commanded. “Don’t move faster than I’m moving inside you.”

Lee groaned but obeyed. Gai’s fingers dug into the flesh of his leg, the other arm braced against the bed for leverage. Then Gai shifted, putting all of Lee’s weight onto Gai’s leg across his raised knee. Gai’s foot pressed into the mattress for support. 

Gai’s hand snaked between Lee’s legs, his body still pumping slowly and shallowly. Gai caressed Lee’s balls, pulling them away from Lee’s body; rolling them with gentle ease. Lee panted hard and his hand sped up unconsciously, but then Gai’s hand covered his own.

“Slow,” Gai whispered. Lee’s mouth fell open and his eyes closed as he felt Gai’s hand over his own, slowly pumping his aching cock. Too good…too slow…he was trapped exactly as Gai wanted him and at Gai’s mercy. Lee shuddered.

“I love you like this,” Gai whispered into the quiet room. “Obedient and needy…I could fuck you like this all night.”

“Sensei,” Lee cried. 

“Mmm,” Gai hummed and licked Lee’s shoulder. “I love it when you call me that when my dick’s buried inside you.”

“Oh…oh God…” Lee’s eyes flew open, shifted back and forth without seeing. He felt release approaching, and still Gai’s hand moved with his…slow…steady. He felt Gai push slightly harder into him and he struck the place in Lee that fried his nerves with a pleasurable overload. He wanted to move and meet those strokes – feed the need – but his back was bent and held in place by Gai’s leg, cock, and supporting hand. He couldn’t move, couldn’t do anything but feel.

“You’re going to come like this,” Gai said, his voice husky. “I’m going to fuck you slow and stroke you slower until you can’t take it anymore and you finally come.” Gai licked at Lee’s skin.

“I don’t care if it takes ten minutes or ten hours. I don’t care if this sweet hole of yours is dry and aching so badly that even you don’t like it anymore.”

Lee whined at that, imagining it, wanting it, needing. Then Gai leaned down and whispered harshly into Lee’s neck.

“You’ll come like I let you,” Gai stroked fiercely into Lee’s body, making Lee cry out. “Or you won’t at all.”

When Gai pushed hard into Lee’s body again, Lee cried out and came. The strength and surprise of the orgasm made Lee forget how to breathe. And still Gai stroked strong and slow into his body. Still his hand moved on Lee’s over-sensitive cock. 

“Sensei!” Lee yelled, another tremor making him gasp.

Gai’s body tensed but his pace never faltered. Lee lost track of time, his world narrowing to the feel of Gai moving inside his body. Then Gai stroked roughly into Lee, and bit down on Lee’s shoulder as he moaned in release.

“Lee,” Gai panted as they lay entwined and recovering. Lee’s body protested every movement, and his insides felt raw. Lee licked his lips.

Gai slowly lowered Lee’s leg, but stayed still. He kissed Lee’s neck, his back, shoulders. He licked at sweat and sighed. Finally he went completely soft and only then did he slip from Lee’s body, and still Lee winced. He felt a rush of fluid escape and shivered.

Gai rolled away from Lee and off the bed. Then Gai stood in Lee’s line of sight and reached for him.

“Come on, baby, let’s get you cleaned up.”

Gai slid his arms under Lee and lifted him easily, and Lee was too tired and sore to complain. Languid contentment and sweet exhaustion made his limbs limp, and he allowed Gai to carry him into the bathroom and then gently set him down while Gai started the shower. Lee thought about commenting on how Gai’s stamina extended well beyond the dojo, but he couldn’t quite form the words so he remained silent. 

When the water was warm, Gai pulled Lee into the shower and held him under the spray, hands roaming everywhere: kneading, caressing. Lee let Gai lather him down with soap and then gently wash every part of him clean, loving that Gai was here and with him. Loving that Gai seemed to have dropped every pretense he’d ever had in exchange for this attentive love. Lee couldn’t form the words, didn’t know how to say how happy he was, so he settled for pulling Gai’s mouth to his in a kiss, hoping that would manage to express what his words couldn’t. Gai kissed him back in earnest, his arms wrapping around Lee and holding him.

After they were out of the shower and dry, Gai pulled a vial from the medicine cabinet.

“This will help,” Gai said. “Hold still.”

Lee’s brows knitted in confusion as he watched Gai squeeze a thick, clear substance from the tube. Then one arm crossed over Lee’s chest, Gai kissed his cheek, and then Lee felt Gai reach down and smear the substance around his entrance. Lee wriggled a bit at that, but Gai held him still while he probed the stuff inside of Lee. Then the ache faded beneath numbness, and Lee didn’t know whether he was happy the feeling was gone or if he missed it.

Gai removed his finger and kissed Lee’s temple. Then it was back into the bedroom. Lee looked at the clock and knew he should get up, but his body protested violently at the thought.

“Rest,” Gai said. “I’ll have breakfast waiting.” 

“But-" Lee started to say that body be damned, he didn’t like being lazy.

“It’s not laziness, Lee,” Gai said. “It’s necessary. Now go.” Gai swatted Lee lightly on the ass and then watched as Lee climbed back into bed. Warmth bloomed inside Lee’s heart as he thought of sleeping in Gai’s bed; at the easy way Gai could read his body and mood. Lee sighed happily, and in less than ten seconds Lee’s eyes were closed and sleep was fast approaching.

***

Lee woke up two hours later. When he saw the time, he immediately got out of bed and dropped to the floor to do his usual push-ups and morning routine. His lower back ached, and his body felt oddly overworked – like he’d used muscles that he didn’t know he had. Determination formed Lee’s expression, and he did extra push-ups and sit-ups for sleeping so long.

Finished with exercise, Lee found a pair of loose pants lying over a chair. Lee recognized them as Gai’s. Smiling, Lee slipped them on and went in search of his sensei. Not finding him in the living room or in his small office, Lee padded into the kitchen. There he found half a blender of breakfast smoothie in the fridge but no Gai.

Drinking straight from the blender carafe, Lee slid the backdoor open. He started down one of the garden paths, but then Gai came around the far corner of the dojo with a wheelbarrow full of potting dirt. Lee drank another swallow of smoothie and started toward Gai, the feel of soft grass under his bare feet extremely pleasant.

Then Lee stopped when he saw what Gai was doing.

In a large, freshly-dug hole in the middle of the garden sat the hawthorn tree. 

Gai set the wheelbarrow down next to the sapling and began scooping fertilized dirt around the little tree. He stopped when he saw Lee watching, and a smile broke out over Gai’s features.

“Lee! I see you found breakfast.”

Lee nodded, emotion tightening his throat. The tree…the one that Gai planted at the farthest edge of the yard…its new home was in the middle of the garden – right where everyone could see it.

Gai set the shovel across the wheelbarrow and walked over to Lee. He wore old jeans and a well-worn Green Dojo t-shirt. Wiping his forehead with the back of one arm, Gai grinned at Lee. Then he leaned over and kissed him, almost impulsively. Like he was stealing something and Lee let him get away with it.

“How do you feel?” Gai asked.

“Fine,” Lee said, emotion making it hard to form words. 

“Good, then,” Gai said and smiled. “I needed to do some gardening this morning. Thought this little tree might want a sunnier spot.” He paused and regarded Lee with equal parts seriousness and affection. “A more central and permanent spot,” Gai said. “What do you think?”

Lee swallowed and then bent to carefully set down the carafe. Then he turned to his sensei – his teacher, his mentor, his friend, his confidant, and now his lover – and threw his arms around Gai’s neck. Gai gave a startled laugh and then wrapped his arms around the slightly-smaller man and squeezed.

After a long moment, Lee pulled back. Gai looked at Lee with open and honest love, and Lee felt so happy he thought he would float away. 

Thank you, Neji, Lee thought. Thank you, Kakashi, and thank you, Gai-sensei. 

“I think it’s a great place for the tree,” Lee said finally. 

Gai beamed at Lee and then winked. “Most excellent!” he exclaimed. “Now, help me settle him into his new home?”

“Of course, Gai-sensei,” Lee said. 

And together, the two men passed the morning in the garden replanting a hawthorn tree. 

/Fine

**Author's Note:**

> ∞ Everyone, may I present my very, very first attempt at Fanfiction. This was the story that started it all - the Monoshizukanohi world (when I wrote this, I didn't even have a name for it), the obsession with kinky things, (okay, to be fair, the real-life obsession predated the writing of this fic by quite a bit, but this started the kink in fiction portion of my life), and everything else. It's been so long… and it was also just yesterday. There's a lot of "crack" in this - meant to be more humorous than anything. Took me a couple of stories to find my stride. The pairing request came from Pandy/Hoopi, who loved these two together. The story was - and is - for her. 
> 
> ∞ For all information about Monoshizukanohi that you never knew you wanted to know, click [HERE](http://demented-dee.livejournal.com/12226.html).
> 
> ∞ I don’t own any characters in any fandom; I just entice them into doing things they never thought possible. The originals though, if present, are all mine. I also own the world, Monoshizukanohi, and all the places therein. 
> 
> ∞ Want more? Check out my other stories here or head over to my [Demented-Ink headquarters](https://www.demented-ink.com/). And make sure to stop by [Smoke Signals](https://www.demented-ink.com/smoke-signals) and keep in touch!
> 
> Much light, more love, and many, many baked goods.  
> ♥Dee


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